


Stars of the Fated (Hiatus)

by PandiBear



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Fluff, I'll add more as I go, M/M, Minor Character Death, No Major Character Death, Separations, TXT are all witches, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandiBear/pseuds/PandiBear
Summary: Five young witches separated in childhood, find their way back to each other after ten years. Of course, life is never that simple and they are forced to fight against the force that originally tore them apart in order to achieve the quiet life they all dreamed of.(Hiatus)
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin, Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun/Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun, Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, Choi Beomgyu/Huening Kai, Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai, Choi Soobin/Kang Taehyun, Choi Yeonjun/Huening Kai, Choi Yeonjun/Kang Taehyun, Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun, OT5 - Relationship
Comments: 23
Kudos: 48





	1. Prologue

Five young boys played together, movements flowing effortlessly around one another as they ran around the dense forest. The trees and wildlife that lived there watched joyfully at the spirited young witches that graced the often-lonely forest with laughter and life that only those who were friends of nature could. 

The boys were fated to be the star coven, a gathering of five fated witches whose power would become one with nature, they would be key in the on-going war against the chaotic magic that yearned to destroy the natural order of the world. The five witches were destined to become the five points of the same star, a star that would shine brightly only when they were all together, much like they were now.

The forest watched in awe as the bright colours of each witch’s magical aura shone brightly as it swirled together, flowing naturally to form a glow that even the shadows hiding between the trees shied away from.

The forest was a force within itself, its natural magic powerful after millenniums of growth. Its job was to protect the powerful young witches as they grew into their powers, becoming a haven for them as it had for various legendary coven’s before.

Unfortunately, even the magic of the forests had its limits, its power growing weaker for a few hours on one day every 10 years in accordance with a rare astrological phenomenon that happens on said day. The barriers that kept the witches living inside safe and hidden weaken without even the forest itself noticing.

What would happen that day was not a plan shown in the stars, even the deities taken by surprise as those who drew their power from the darkness managed to destroy a fate that they themselves had planned out so carefully, ready to welcome their newest protectors.

The forests would mourn as the deities would curse, but none would be able to do more than observe how the boy’s created their own paths. The fate of the star coven was left for no god to decide, no one other than the witches themselves would be able to decide their outcome.

The scary and uncertain path that awaited them was something that the young witches were not aware of at that time but would come to figure out for themselves as the years went on and they began to learn and understand their magic and how it could bind together to create something that not even the stars themselves could fathom. 

“Soobin hyung, it’s your turn to count!” a giggling voice called to the older purple-haired boy who was pouting as he sat on the floor by the tree he was found at.

Soobin huffed, folding his arms over his chest to show his protest. He heard as various voices joined in, laughing and encouraging him to continue their game.

It had been Yeonjun’s turn to seek and the eldest boy had found Soobin after only a minute of looking, going as far as to spook the younger boy from his hiding place behind the tree. No one liked being the first one found, it made them the biggest loser and automatically the next seeker if they had not done the role in the last two games.

“Come on Binnie, you heard Gyu, it’s no fun if you act like a sore loser” the teasing voice of his oldest friend called, he was leaning against another tree not far from him, hand in hand with the youngest witch of their little group. The creature witch giggled joyfully as he watched the two eldest act younger than he and Taehyun were. 

“Be quiet Choi Yeonjun, you only caught me so fast because you cheated. Asking the spirits like that is low” Soobin rebuked as he shot the other an annoyed look, receiving only a mischievous grin in response from hedge witch.

“You could always ask forest spirits or other plant life for help as well, Soobin hyung” the factual but playful voice of the young red-haired oracle (often also referred to as a diviner) said as he linked arms with the black haired boy who stood next to him.

Soobin was glad the younger seemed to be in better spirits, his aura had seemed off most of the day, he often looked uneasy and disturbed. When he had asked if anything was wrong, the boy simply shrugged with a complicated expression on his face before telling him there was a feeling in the air that didn’t feel right.

Soobin shot a gentle smile over at the two as he complimented the idea. “Always so smart, for your help I promise not to find you first Taehyun-ah” the younger witch cheered while the black-haired boy next to him pouted.

“What about me, hyung?” the boy whined, shaking his body in a way that Soobin was sure was supposed to look cute but didn't quite hit the mark in his eyes (Kai clearly disagreed as he cheered the older on). 

“Nope, you’re fair game Gyu. Even if I find Yeonjun hyung first he can’t seek since he was the last seeker" The younger boy pouted but agreed.

“I don’t think that will matter, after this game we should think about going home, the sun is going to set soon and our parents said the dark witches come out at night” Kai said as he looked up at the sky, an owl had informed him of the time a few moments before and he thanked the kind creature for its care. The animals in the forest adored them.

Soobin knew there was no real worry about the witches who gathered their magic from Chaos, their parents just told them that to ensure they came home before nightfall.

The forest was a safe haven for the few witches who lived there, its barriers protecting them from the outside world and prevented those who wished to harm them from locating them. 

Regardless, Soobin nodded in agreement, smiling at the youngest who returned it with his own bright smile.

Soobin gestured for them to run as he turned towards one of the bigger trees to begin counting, his small body looking even smaller when matched with the thick, aged trunk of the ancient tree.

“…3”

“…2”

“…1!”

“Ready or not, here I come!”

He shouted the generic catch phrase of the game, giving his friends ample warning that their time was up.

Looking around he did not see anything in his immediate surroundings, he always checked on the off chance that one of them was stupid enough to hide in the open like that. One time Kai had won the game despite sitting just behind the tree Beomgyu had been counting at, the older boy had not thought anyone would actually hide in such an obnoxious location left without checking, ever since then he’s sure they had all been alert for such sneaky play.

Deciding not to ask the kind life in the forest for help just yet, the young green witch searched around, his first find being their youngest friend, his left shoe (which had fallen off) was a dead giveaway to the bush the other was crouched in.

“Huening Kai, you are awful at hiding” Soobin announced, rustling the outer leaves of the bush with his hand. He heard a giggle from within and waited for the other to show himself.

The brunette gave a goofy grin as he slipped out from his hiding place, small twigs and leaves stuck in his wild hair. Soobin shook his head fondly and pulled the foliage from the curls.

The youngest thanked the bush silently for its help despite not being able to hear its response. It was a habit they all had formed after Soobin mentioned that plants had feelings like everything else and appreciated communication in any form.

“It says you are always welcome, Kai-ah” the green witch informed the younger, happy to hear of the respect the boy had no matter how many times he heard it. He bent down to slip the missing shoe onto the correct foot of the messy child.

A few minute latter the two found Beomgyu, the storm witch simply laying on his back behind a few shrubs, watching as the clouds pass by with a content look on his face.

“Beomgyu, you were barely even hiding” Kai said with a laugh, watching as Soobin pulled the black-haired boy up from the floor, helping to brush some of the dirt and leaves from the boys clothing.

“It was enough, didn’t want to make the game too hard when we don’t have much ti-”

His words were cut off by a frightened call followed by the sound of a thump.

Soobin felt the worry of the forest as much as he felt his own, he knew it felt helpless at being able to do little more than observe over the situation. Grabbing the hands of the two younger boys, he sped off in the direction the trees whispered to him.

“Taehyun-ah!” he shouted as he saw the younger boy resting in Yeonjun’s arms, eyes closed and body completely limp.

“Is it his magic?” he asked calmly as he sat down next to Yeonjun, fearful eyes meeting with his own as the blonde gave an unsure nod.

“I think so, he was hiding in a tree close to me. I noticed him go pale and had enough time to get to him before he hit the ground. Almost scared the life out of me” re-telling the events that took place only a few minutes prior, sighing as he managed to get his heart rate back under control.

Soobin nodded in understanding, Oracles could receive future reading in all kinds of ways, usually on their own term but sometimes they would receive them unconsciously. When this happened the magic was often overwhelming for the witch which could cause them to temporarily collapse, or retreat into their minds as Taehyun had once said.

It didn’t take long for the airy silver of Taehyun’s aura to appear, letting them know he was truly using a part of his power and hadn’t randomly shut down.

Every witch had a magical aura, the colour and brightness would depend on the witch and how much power they were using at the time.

Auras were only visible when a witch was using their magic, unless it was a part of their magic that happened naturally, like Soobin’s communication with plant-life or Kai’s communication with animals. Even Yeonjun’s connection to spirits counted, though he often blocked it out, finding it disturbing.

Another sign was the temporary shift away from their warm brown eyes, the colour changing to match the aura they had when using magic. Magic auras were often invisible to the human eye, regular human only able to tell if they were to physical manifest their magic.

Yeonjun frowned as he was saw the silvery waves glitch in distress, a sign that whatever Taehyun was seeing was not pleasant for him. It was a pity but there was nothing he could do but stay by his side.

Minutes passed as they waited patiently for the red head to wake up. Soobin watched fondly as Beomgyu played quietly with Kai, showing him the sling shot his sister made for him, much to the disapproval of their mother. They laughed softly as the older failed to launch a stone as it fell, rolling uselessly across the uneven ground.

Yeonjun ran his fingers through Taehyun’s hair, the younger had been shifted so he was sitting, held softly against Yeonjun’s chest in a protective manner. Soobin found himself rubbing the oracles back every time his made a distressed noise.

Their peaceful calm was interrupted as the trees and woodland creatures started to shout, Soobin and Kai covering their ears at the sudden uproar, tears making their way to the youngest’s eyes as he looked around in confusion.

“Soobin hyung? Kai? What’s happening?” Beomgyu asked fearfully having felt the frantic shift of magic in the air.

Taehyun chose this time to wake up with a gasp, panicked eyes opening as he muttered under his breathe. Yeonjun watched the younger whose eyes still glowed an enchanting silver that matched his present aura, a tell his magic was still active in his awakened state.

“Guys come over I don’t know what’s happening, but it’ll be safer if we stay close to each other” Yeonjun called, gesturing for the three boys who still stood a small distance away.

Moving immediately, the three boys moved over to the eldest witch. Kai felt Beomgyu grab his hand, noticing the younger was still struggling with a noise that he could not hear himself.

“Hyung, I’m scared. What’s happening?” The youngest asked, there was no visible sign of the threat but he knew the forest could not lie, the animals and magical creatures pleading for them to escape was frightening , he had never experienced something like this in his short life.

“I don’t know Kai-ah, but hyung will protect you, I’ll protect all of you” Yeonjun answered confidently, Soobin nodding along, also feeling his protective urges surging.

“They’re here, the chaos sensed a majestic power in natures moment of weakness and wishes to destroy it. Us.” Taehyun mumbled, the silver of his eyes and aura slowly fading as his magic lets go of its hold on him. The diviner looked around drowsily, confused at the frantic magical energy invading the air.

“What’s happening?” He asked dazedly, finally looking at the pale faces of his friends which only added worry onto his initial confusion. Yeonjun gave the boy’s hair a comforting pat, pulling them both up from the floor so they could stand with the others.

Taehyun swayed slightly, his body exhausted from a mixture of the sudden use of his magic and his body not yet old enough to handle large amounts of magical energy. He felt as Yeonjun steadied his, putting an arm around his shoulder and encouraging him to lean against his larger frame for support.

He muttered a small ‘thank you’ before turning his attention towards his two friends whose own magical auras were activated. Soobin’s vivid green magic swirled up into the air, seemingly communicating with the invisible magic around them.

Beomgyu watched as the green witches’ eyes became wide with an emotion be was quickly able to identify as fear, a fear that he had never seen reflected in anyone’s eyes before.

Looking around he noticed Kai wore a similar expression on his too young face as he listened to the creatures in the surrounding area.

“The forest is telling us to hide, we have to split up our magic is like a beacon to those who have come to hurt us. The forest says we are too bright while we are together” Soobin tells them, reluctant at the thought of parting with his friends while the situation was so uncertain.

Looking around at the scared faces of his friends, he strengthened his convictions as he found himself standing taller, determined to get them all out of the unexpected situation alive, even if it meant parting for a short while.

“Okay, we need to all run in different direction and listen to our surroundings. Avoid using your magic as much as possible, it could alert whoever is looking for us to your presence. I’ll go back to the village to check on things, it’s likely they would have been found first based off the sheer magical energy it would give off from everyone there so I’ll be careful not to be seen” he said as the others nodding ,unsure, not liking the idea of him putting himself in potential danger but knowing there wasn't another option.

“Find a safe place to hide and we’ll meet back up when we feel the forests magic shift back to normal, it will tell us. If you hear anything and think you are in danger, then you run, and you keep running until your instincts tells you it’s safe”.

The young witches once again agreed with their purple-haired friend, trusting that he himself was simply following what his instincts where telling him. The boy was a born leader despite not being the oldest in their small group. Yeonjun himself showed leadership qualities but often enjoyed playing with the younger members more than acting responsibly. They were only children after all.

“What about Taehyun? I don’t think he’ll make it far by himself.” Beomgyu spoke up, looking worriedly towards the boy who was still leaning tiredly against the hedge witch.

Yeonjun looked down, frowning as he nodded in agreement. “He’s in state to be running Hyung. If one of you help him onto my back, I’ll run with him and find a safe space to hide him and then hide myself close by but far enough that our magic can’t interact”.

Taehyun frowned, not liking feeling like a burden. Yeonjun cut off his protest with a serious look before moving him towards Soobin, the second oldest understanding quickly as he put an arm around his charge. Taehyun sighed put didn’t complain, he knew the situation wasn’t good, the vision he had seen was also coming back to him which meant he knew this day was not going to end the way they all wished.

Yeonjun bent down and gestured at his back, he heard shuffling and seconds later felt the press of Taehyun’s small body against his back. Hooking his arm under the boy’s knees, he stood, taking a second to orient his balance with the added weight of his friend.

“Kai-ah, I need you to be really brave right now. I know you’re scared but you need to do as Soobin hyung asked, we’ll see each other later so you don’t worry that cute little head of yours” Yeonjun spoke quickly but did his best to comfort the youngest boy, he could tell he was scared but they needed to do as directed if there was any hope of them making it out of there.

Kai could only nod as he heard the oldest boy’s words, he knew they were right and he would follow their directions no matter what, he wanted to see them all again when the forest declared it safe. He was brave.

There was silence a strange silence in the woods, the boys doing their best to soak in each other’s comforting presence. There was a strange sadness in the air, it unnerved Beomgyu in a way that he wished to deny, a bad feeling that he could only pray to the stars was wrong.

“I’ll see you all shortly” Soobin was the first to break the silence. With one last nod he turned and started to run in the direction of the village, the others watching for only a second before they followed his lead, splitting off in separate directions like planned.

Soobin ran quietly, keeping to the tree as they directed him to the safest route to get to the village. Now his friends were on their way to safety, Soobin let himself concentrate on his next priority, making sure their families were unharmed.

The presence of the forest was as comforting as it was pressuring. The nature surrounding him attempted to send encouraging waves of calming reassurance, he received the unspoken messages of his friend’s well-being gratefully and returning his own sincere thanks in return.

While the positive feelings were felt with a thankful heart, he couldn’t concentrate on them fully with the overwhelming feeling of dread and anxiety permeating the air , the forest unable to hide its true feeling from someone as connected with nature as Soobin was. 

After only a few minutes of cautious travel the sounds of angry shouts and terrified screams reached the sensitive ears of the green witch. Edging carefully to the treeline, he peered out, ducking when he felt an unnatural magic close by.

He waited, letting out a sigh of relief when he felt the awful presence fade into the distance. Praising himself for successfully masking his magic, he walked towards the closest of his friends’ houses, determined to find out if anyone was hiding there.

Yeonjun’s house was not far from the treeline and Soobin found it easy to sneak to the door of the building. He leant up against it but felt no sign of Yeonjun’s Dad’s magic.

Knocking quietly but receiving no answer, he opened the door slowly at a crouch as he looked around.

“Mr Choi?”

Dead silence.

“Mr Choi, it’s Soobin. Are you in here?”

No response.

He had known the older hedge witch was not in the house before he had stepped into the house, the familiar aura of the kind older man was felt nowhere but he had to check, see it with his own eyes.

Breathing in, Soobin tried to calm himself as his first attempt was a bust. He wasn’t sure where Yeonjun’s father was, but he sent a small prayer to the lunar goddess asking for his safety.

After double checking the building Soobin exited through the backdoor, keeping his body hugged against the building as he made his way around the house. Taehyun’s house wasn’t far from Yeonjun’s so with a determined breath he stealthily made his way over to the house on his right.

As he approached, he saw a shadow blink past the window from inside.

Gulping slightly, Soobin braved himself as he once again made his way quietly to the door, this time choosing the back. Like the first time he gently felt for the magic within the house and quickly made his way inside when he recognised them.

“Soobin!”

As soon as he stepped inside, he was pulled away from the door and engulfed into a soothing hug that he naturally leaned into. 

He stood there for a minute in his mother’s arms before pulling back to look around the room. Taehyun’s parents and older siblings stood towards the back, they clearly wanted to talk to him but did not want to overwhelm the boy, something which was shared with most of the other families in the room.

He noticed only Yeonjun’s dad appeared to be missing.

“Where’s Mr Choi?”

His older brother shook his head as his sister put a comforting hand on his small shoulder.

“He was fine last we saw him, he said he was going to look for you boys. We all wanted to go but it was best not to split up. Soobin-ah, where are the other boys?”

It was Kai’s mother, a hopeful look on her face. He sent her a gentle smile, but it was wiped off in seconds by the sudden surge of power in the air, the rain pouring only seconds later.

Beomgyu.

“Soobin, you need to tell us what happened” Beomgyu mother said urgently as he watched the downpour in worry.

“We-”

He coughed slightly, calming himself so he could explain properly”

“We were playing in the woods, we agreed to play one more game but part way through Taehyun fell because of a vision-

He heard Mrs Kang inhale sharply, hugging her daughter closer and clutching at her older son’s hand.

“-but Yeonjun hyung was close by and managed to catch him because he fell. While we were watching there was a sudden disturbance in the forest, and everything went crazy”.

The families listened intently; they already knew about the disturbance. Several of their witches had already been attacked by the chaos bringers, which was why they were together.

Power in numbers.

“Just after that Hyun said something like “the darkness came for the light and something about us, I don’t really remember” he recalled apologetically, no one in the room blamed him, he was only 10 summers of age and everything had happened so fast. It was no surprise he was struggling to completely take in the situation.

“I forest was telling me that we shouldn’t stay close to each other, we’re too bright. I don’t know what that means but I listened and sent them away to hide separately while I came too check here. I don’t know if they’re okay now” he finished gesturing to the evidence of Beomgyu’s power.

The adults were quick to reassure him, but he could feel their worry bleeding through the room.

The rain continued for a few minutes before it disappeared as quickly as it started. All the air in Beomgyu lungs seemed to leave him at once at the sudden feeling on loss, his knees buckled, and he fell to the floor at its intensity. He heard a call of his name but could do nothing but close his eyes and will the awful feeling away.

“-bin!”

“-Soobin!”

It took him a few seconds to gain full awareness but he when he did, he noticed everyone gazing at him worriedly. He sat in his father’s hold, his siblings hovering over him as his mother comforted Beomgyu mother.

“He’s alive, or at least he was when he left the forest” he spoke, more in a daze than coherently knowing what was saying.

“I can’t feel him anymore” he whispered, not understanding what was happening. He always knew he was connected to his four friends, but he never knew it was to this extent.

“You’re okay. Beomgyu will be as well” his father voice soothed him and he felt himself untense slightly.

“Soobin, can you feel the others like you could Beomgyu?” he wasn’t sure who asked but nodded. He wasn’t sure the range this connection could carry but it was evident that it couldn’t pass the barrier between the forest and the outside world.

“Do you know if the others are safe?” he nodded again, the connection and the forest itself told reassuring himself of this. He knew this wouldn’t be the last loss of the night, there was a foreboding feeling within him that wouldn’t allow him to relax.

The peace was short lived, everything happening in a blur.

There was a second surge of power and then for a moment there was nothing. All his senses seemingly turning off, unable to cope with the event that had happened.

He could hear screaming, but everything sounded distant, his head floating and unfocused.

The screaming continued and as he came back into awareness, he realised it was coming from him. His right hand clutched tightly onto his shirt right above his heart as he willed the suffocating pain to go away.

There was a hand covering his mouth, someone muffling his tortured cries as another tried to shush him. There were hands on his face, stroking his cheek as panicked voiced conversed above him.

It felt like hours passed with the excruciating feeling not dulling or leaving. The flurries of movement above him did not stop and soon someone had covered his eyes, one whispered word leaving their lips.

“Sleep”

He felt the forest mourning with him as he slowly fell into unconsciousness. One last name leaving his mouth.

“Taehyun”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please let me know your thoughts in the comments.
> 
> Just to clarify, the auras can only be seen by members of family or others who are close to them, like their friends or coven.  
> The only time their magic colour can be seen is when they are directly using their magic from their hands or if they are using enough magic for their eyes to change. 
> 
> I will try and make sure I focus on every single character throughout the story, their is not a particular main. Same with the relationships, I will try and show cute moments between every one of them along with the OT5.


	2. Yeonjun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeonjun's version of what happened on that night.  
> Present day where Yeonjun and Kai feel something bigger coming so Yeonjun follows his heart and goes on an adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm sorry for any mistakes, I did a quick check but I don't always catch mistakes.

**_Nine Years Ago_ **

Hurried footsteps and panted breaths carried through the maze of trees. The tall trees felt daunting in a way they never had before, the air thick with madness. 

Two figures moved quickly as they weaved between the greenery. Yeonjun carried the shorter boy on his back, he had never felt more grateful for Taehyun small stature than at that time.

It had been a while since the first drops of exhaustion had settled in, but he refused to stop. He could feel the one chasing him were slowly closing in on him and he couldn’t let that happen, he wouldn’t he caught.

“Hyung, you need to put me down. We are too easy to track while we’re together like this” the voice belonged to the small boy slumped over on his back, not enough energy to properly hold on.

The blonde boy shook his head, breathing too uneven to verbally respond, there was no way he was leaving the young boy behind when he had no way of protecting himself in his current state.

The small figure sighed but couldn’t fight the elder. If they stayed like this they would inevitably get caught, there was nowhere to hide, and they were unable to hide their presence while they were this close to one another.

Raindrops started to fall, the boys becoming drenched in seconds by the intensity of the downpour.

They both knew who caused the sudden rainstorm, the power signature familiar in a way that would have been comforting if the magic wasn’t flooded with the boy’s fear. They could do nothing but pray that their friend was safe.

They used the rain to their advantage, the sheer amount of it making visibility poorer in the already darkening woods which would make it harder for their pursuer to follow them. The lack of visibility didn’t bother either of the young witches, they knew the entirety of the forest, knew every tree, bush and bramble that blessed the grounds.

After a few minutes he was hopeful that they had managed to lose their followers when the rain stopped as abruptly as it started.

A shock traveled through Yeonjun’s body, his body crumpling to the muddy ground, body slightly covered by a bush, with Taehyun falling not far from him. He couldn’t hear or see much of anything, his ears ringing as he tried to blink away the dizziness that overcame him.

His body shook, still recoiling from the loss of Beomgyu’s soul-link, which had disappeared so abruptly.

A small hand shook him not so gently and he managed to focus enough to see Taehyun worried face floating above him. The boy was a mess, mud covering parts of his body and dirt smudged on his cheeks and in his hair.

The sight was strange to Yeonjun’s dazed mind. He was so used to seeing the younger without a hair out of place, the sight was almost funny.

“Hyung, you need to get up we don’t have time, they are almost here!”

He watched as the younger boy looked around frantically, Yeonjun wasn’t sure what he was looking for but soon the boy was standing on unsteady legs and moving out of his eye-line.

He felt any amusement drain for him and turn to panic when he could no longer see the boy, everything catching up with him. He had sworn to himself and Soobin that he would protect Taehyun, but his body couldn’t move, the shock paired with exhaustion made it hard to do more than release shaky breaths.

Within a few seconds the boy returned, covering him in what looked like small leafy branches, in what could only be an attempt at camouflaging him with the bushes and tree.

The second time he disappeared he didn’t reappear and Yeonjun took several deep breaths in attempt to help his body readjust.

He could feel the wet ground beneath him. He raked his finger through moist mud to ground himself. 

It wasn’t long until he heard an unfamiliar voice, it was met with a response from a voice that he knew too well. Taehyun’s words were panicked as he shouted, the words were followed by what Yeonjun was sure was some sort of scuffle.

It took far too long but Yeonjun finally found enough energy to get back up. The branches that had been covering him were thrown carelessly to the floor as he heaved himself up.

Looking around there was no signs of Taehyun within his immediate surroundings, but he could feel and hear him close by. With rushed steps he swerved around several trees towards the noise.

After several excruciating moments he heard a short scream followed by a painful sounding _thud_ coming from his right.

In his haste he stumbled carelessly through a bush, not even feeling the sharp thorns cutting into his legs. On the other side he was met with the sight or an angry looking man in dark robes.

_A chaos witch_ his mind supplied helpfully.

The perpetrator was holding his arm as he sent a menacing look down at the crumpled form of Taehyun who was slouched over, body turned slightly away from his attacker as he tried to catch his breath.

“You little brat, only animals bite. Unfortunately for you bad animals need to be put down, it’s all a part of the job anyway” the man growled out, spitting on Taehyun’s small form as though he was dirt below his boots. The sight sent bolts of anger through Yeonjun.

The rage was replaced almost immediately by fear.

Yeonjun watched as the man leg go off his arm and raised it out towards his fallen friend, the uncontrolled red of his magic swirling around his hand as he prepared to attack.

Everything happened so fast.

Yeonjun cried out the younger’s name, his arm reaching towards him.

Taehyun turned towards him, a look of surprise and fear flashing across his face as he brought his arms up to cover himself in some sort of protection.

As intended the man’s magic flew towards Taehyun in wisps of red smoke but Taehyun’s panicked eyes never left Yeonjun’s own.

“Hyung, no!”

Taehyun disappeared in a flash of dazzling purple.

Not smoking red.

Yeonjun looked down at his raised hand in shock as he felt a painful feeling shoot through his body but didn’t collapse like he did the first time, instead he stayed perfectly still, his consciousness fading to black as something else took over. 

The stranger turned towards him with a look of shock, not having registered the second target entering the scene. His searching eyes met with the soulless purple eyes of the second child. A violent purple illuminated his small hand, identifying him as the hedge witch of the prophesied group

The man walked tauntingly towards the shell-shocked boy, there was no sign of awareness from the blonde as he stared blankly at the spot his friend had vanished. The whole situation was unfairly easy, their targets were still only children, the hedge witch took out the younger witch he didn’t identify and now the poor kid was too in shock to fight back.

Not that it would be much of a fight.

The curse of death was thrown but did not hit its target.

The surrounding area went up in an unfathomable purple light. Nothing seen or heard within the affected area for the short amount of time it lasted.

As the magic faded out, nothing was left to be seen.

Ancient trees now barely stumps of blackened debris.

Lush grass left as little more than scorched charcoal.

No evidence of potential animal or plant life left over.

Nothing in sight but a kneeling blonde in the middle of the impact zone, endless tears falling from blank eyes and the only sounds to be heard were his laboured gasps for breath.

The forest cried in pain and mourning. Its environment partially destroyed and three of its charges taken away from it within the span of only half an hour.

The forest had failed.

The prophecy was no more.

Yeonjun gathered his energy as he looked around, eyes met by nothing more than destruction. He cried out unashamed as he processed all he lost.

“Taehyun!” he didn’t know why he called out to him, he knew that the younger was gone and it was his fault.

He had lost Taehyun, he had potentially sent him into another dimension and had no way of knowing where. He did not know he was able to do that, he had always been taught that while he could travel between space and time, he wouldn’t be able to travel with others.

Regardless, his only thought had been to save his friend and he had done the opposite.

That sort of travel could have killed the younger and he would be none the wiser.

“Gyu!”

He had lost Beomgyu, the storm witch having left the safety of the forests barrier what felt like hours ago. He had no way of knowing where the younger boy was but at the very least something inside of him told him Beomgyu was still alive.

“Soobin” he whimpered, wanting the comfort the purple-haired witch often provided.

He had lost Soobin. Like the storm witch, Soobin was no longer within the forest. There was no sign of his presence and he had been too busy potentially killing Taehyun and destroying the very forest that protected them to know when he had disappeared.

“Kai…”

A tug at his subconscious woke him from his grieving and he bolted upright, standing with energy he was sure he didn’t have moments ago. Gazing up, he met the intelligent eyes of a deer, the creature jerking its head to the side in a clear indication of a direction.

“Kai!”

Reaching his magic out, Yeonjun felt as it made the connection to the youngest’s own and set off without second thought. 

**_Present Day_ **

“Yeonjun hyung, wake up. The sun is shining and it’s a brand-new day!”

Yeonjun groaned, putting his hands over his ears as he tried to block out the chipper voice of his partner. The hands were quickly pulled away as his assailant used them to pull him into a seated position.

“If you don’t wake up right now I’m going to wonder back into town today and stay there all day, enjoying the fresh bread and desserts all to myself. You’ll be stuck here all day, waiting for me too come home even though I was out all day yesterday. It’s a shame I thought he could have a nice relaxing picnic and maybe a boat ride together.

Yeonjun whined childishly, he wanted nothing more than to spend a comfortable day lazing around with Kai, but he’d have preferred the day to start a bit later.

He heard a snicker before a heavy weight fell on top of him, the elbow that dug into his side pulled a grunt of pain from his lips. “Ningning it’s too early for you to be assaulting me” the weight increased but the elbow moved.

“The sun has already been up for a few hours hyung, it’ll be mid-day before you know it” Yeonjun cringed at the unique but loud laughter that rung through his ears.

“I’m up, I’m -” a yawn cut him off. He blinked slightly, allowing his eyes to adjust to the sun. He felt as he regained some strength in his muscles and was quick to manhandle the brunette from on top of his, into his arms. Kai screeched out a laugh, escaping the hug successfully.

“Morning demon” Yeonjun muttered, wiping the remaining sleep from his eyes. Kai smiled and stood from the bed.

“Let’s go and eat, I bought eggs and rice back when I left yesterday. I listened in on the gossip but there was nothing new other than baker Kim’s wife being pregnant…again.” He spoke cheerfully, exiting the room without checking if Yeonjun was following. The cabin was small enough that Yeonjun knew he would be able to hear Kai no matter where he was.

The cabin consisted of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and an open plan living room and kitchen. It was somewhat small, but it worked, there was enough room that one day they would all be able to live there comfortable together.

The main bedroom was by far Yeonjun’s favourite room in the house, it was the larger of the two rooms and was decorated with small trinkets that both he and Kai had found during their time away from the house.

There were also a few small memorabilia from the boy’s laying around; Soobin’s badly panted plant pot (which currently had dill planted inside) sat on the window ledge, Beomgyu’s wooden sword was hung proudly on the wall, the tip still broken from the time he hit Yeonjun with it accidently, and Taehyun’s weird hand-held telescope sat on the desk tucked into the corner of the room, the item used time to time when looking at the stars like they had seen the red head do.

He and Kai had built their home from scratch years ago after no longer wanting to stay within the deserted village that they once called home. When they had returned that night all those years ago, there had been no sight of Soobin or their families, the only reason they knew they left on their own accord was the small amount of personal belonging that had been taken.

The cabin was built in the small clearing by the lake, the glittering water was the first thing that greeted them whenever they stepped out of the house. They never discussed it but Yeonjun knew Kai had also felt this was the perfect place. Beomgyu loved the lake and often talked about wanting to build his own hut there when he was old enough to move away from his parents.

The lake was large, a small island sitting delicately in the middle, from time to time Yeonjun considered building a gazebo or something out there but the plan never came to fruition. The surface of the water seemed to glisten no matter what time of day, the reflection of the sun and stars casting an ethereal glow across the water. He did however build a small rowing boat that he and Kai used on occasion, usually when they missed Beomgyu too much.

The trees enclosed the house, hiding them away from potential threats, of course the forest barriers were strong and there hadn’t been a threat since that night but Yeonjun and Kai always lived in fear for those they lost. They wished for there to be a safe place for them when they returned.

Around the back of the house there was a large garden that grew fruits, vegetables and flowers of all descriptions. Kai had worked hard on the garden, never going a day without lovingly tending to it. The garden expanding every year with new plants from all over, Yeonjun often bringing new seeds back from his travels.

Much like Beomgyu’s dream of living by the lake, Soobin dream was to own a garden that could sustain them if necessary. Kai made sure that he would be ~~if~~ when he found his way back. One day they would care for the garden together.

The cabin was large enough for five but still small enough to be feel homey and warm. This wish was Taehyun’s, he had the simple wish that they would all live safe and happy together.

Sometimes Yeonjun finds himself feeling betrayed by the young oracle, he remembered the way he talked about the wish, it always sounded so certain rather than a dream, Taehyun once confirming he had seen it happen.

Yet, here they were, just the two of them.

Without Soobin,

Without Beomgyu,

and without Taehyun.

“Yeonjun hyung, are you coming?”

The shout woke him from his stupor and he quickly called back an affirmative before climbing from the bed, walking out of the room in his loose sleeping clothes.

The day went by in a way most days did. Yeonjun baked some bread for the next day, hung around with Kai until the younger went to care for the garden and then went to patrol the borders of the barrier.

Everyday felt mostly the same, something Yeonjun found comforting and knew Kai felt the same. The exceptions were the times Kai went out in the morning to gather supplies that they couldn’t get in the forest from the small village just east of forest, spending the day there and enjoying the change of scenery.

The other times were when Yeonjun would journey away from their home for a few weeks at a time, travelling around in hopes that he would find a sign of their missing friends. So far it had led to nothing, but he didn’t give up, he knew they were out there somewhere, unable to find them even if they wanted to.

Yeonjun was sure they wanted to.

The barriers around the forest prevented anyone from finding it once they left it’s safety, he and Kai had found a way to use each other as anchors so as long as one of them stayed inside, the other would always find their way back. This was going to be the first thing he taught the rest of them upon their return, so they would always be able to find their home.

It was evening and Yeonjun sat with Kai on the bench that faced the shimmering lake outside their home. There was a blanket around their shoulders and streaming tea in their hands as they stared out at their surroundings, simply enjoying each other’s company.

“I dreamed of Taehyun last night, not one of _those_ dreams but in this one he was right in front of me, so close I could touch him but for some reason I didn’t” Yeonjun hummed, listening closely as the younger sighed and leaned into him more.

“I wanted to do it so bad, but I didn’t and when I woke up, I hated myself for wasting the chance. It was funny because I knew it wasn’t real, he hadn’t aged a day, still that tiny child. I guess my mind didn’t want to ruin his image by creating something he isn’t”.

Yeonjun put down his cup on the grass before leaning his chin on top of the brunette’s head, patting his arm soothingly.

“He’s out there, Kai, I’ll find him, and I’ll bring him back” his tone held nothing but certainty, he was the cause of the boy’s disappearance and he would find him and fix it.

“It’s weird but I feel like something is going to happen soon, it’s going to be good and we’ll be happy. I can’t help but hope that this is a signal that we’ll be reunited with someone soon, but I guess we won’t know until what happens, happens” Kai shared, a look of hope and longing in his eyes as he looks up at the stars.

He had felt something similar and could only hope they were right. He couldn’t imagine how the others feel being alone, he had always had Kai and vice versa but he doubted Beomgyu and Soobin had managed to reconnect, although he wished they had.

After relaxing for a while longer, the two young men pulled themselves up and went inside to sleep.

_Yeonjun’s eyes blinked open._

_He was standing in the familiar clearing of the forest where there home usually stood, only for there to be nothing but the tree and the lake._

_The other difference were the small white and purple flowers that littered the floor as they always did in his dreams. He didn’t know what flower they were, but he had searched all over the forest in reality and not found a single one._

_The air was alight with thousands of fireflies, the small creatures dancing around each other happily._

_Yeonjun knew he was in a dream. It was the same every time and he simply stood, enjoying the beautiful night life as he waited for the greeting he knew was to come._

_“You feel happier tonight, did something good happen?” a gentle voice asked, coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once._

_“We think we’re close to finding one of the others, we have this feeling that neither of us have ever felt before”._

_The sound of a hum blew around him like a light breeze._

_“I think you’re right. He feels it too he said as much during our last encounter”._

_Yeonjun had known for a long time that both he and Kai were having these interactions with Taehyun, they never saw him, only ever heard his voice but it was enough._

_When it had first started happening a year after the night of the incident, Yeonjun believed them to be simple dreams caused by his desire for Taehyun, but then Kai started having them as well and they soon started asking question in their dreams to figure out what was happening._

_Like usual Taehyun noticed them beating around the bush and berated them both separately. He had managed to astral project to a degree, it wasn’t strong as it wasn’t a common ability for diviners, but he managed just so he could communicate with them._

_One night he had asked if he also spoke with Soobin and Beomgyu, which he confirmed he did, though not as often as they both lived in places with little to no natural magic around which made it harder to connect with them._

_When asked about where he could find them Taehyun had simply apologised, he, much like them could not see, only hearing their voices. He had attempted to ask them for their locations before, but a strange interference had always stopped him from understanding, so he had given up trying._

_“That’s good, who is it?”_

_Like other times he had asked something that Taehyun should not answer a strange noise blew through his ears to block out the answer when the younger tried to give it._

_“I’m sorry Tyun-ah, I guess that’s considered a spoiler too” he laughed lightly, sad that they had once again been blocked by the inexpiable force._

_“I guess so” Taehyun responded with a sigh. “Morning is coming, hyung. It’s time for you to wake up” the younger informed him kindly, as he always did._

_“I will speak to you again soon Taehyun, try not to contact me for a few weeks, I think it’s time I travel again and I know you use more energy when communicating outside the forest”._

_It was silent for a minute but Yeonjun knew the oracle was still there, he never disappeared before Yeonjun awoke._

_“I’ll miss you, hyung”._

_Yeonjun smiled, glancing around the beautiful forest._

_“Make sure you rest and don’t visit too much, I can almost feel how exhausted your magic is and it’s making me sad” he heard Taehyun make a noise of complaint but his mood seemed happier than it was moments before._

_“I’ll be back soon. You will barely even notice I’m gone. If you’re bored please check-in with Kai, he’ll be lonely as well”._

_The world started to fade and Yeonjun missed to the last words said as he felt himself be pulled into consciousness._

That day Yeonjun found himself preparing himself for another journey, much like he had told Taehyun he would.

Kai frowned when he told him but helped him prepare none the less. He knew the younger felt uncomfortable when he was left by himself but this time Yeonjun knew he had to go, the pull in him strong and unrelenting.

They spent the day together, Yeonjun even helping in the garden despite being a terrible gardener just so he could spend his remaining time with the younger.

It was obvious that Kai was upset but less so than usual, the younger was sure it had something to do with the anticipating feeling he had felt for the last few weeks but didn’t say anything, he didn’t want to pressure Yeonjun into feeling like he had to find something.

Yeonjun soaked up the attention Kai was more than happy to give, doing so on quiet days when the weather was too bad to go outside. The day passed by peacefully but too quickly for either of their liking.

That night they fell asleep, limbs wrapped around each other, receiving the last serene sleep they would have in the coming weeks.

The next morning Yeonjun left the protection of the barrier and set off north to continue the exploration he had begun the last time.

He travelled for day, stopping in small towns and villages, helping with small jobs to earn enough coin to eats new snacks when passing through newly discovered settlements. On days where there was none he would sleep under the careful watch of the stars and eat whatever he found growing naturally.

On his ninth day of travel he laid himself down in a field of coloured flowers of all different shades, but none was as stunning as the one he wished to find.

Making himself comfortable he closed his eyes and separated himself from this world, a soft purple covering him as he used his power to travel between dimensions. He couldn’t do it often as it took a lot of energy to do so but over the years, he had slowly built his tolerance up to be able to stay longer and feel through them faster.

He breezed past thousands of realities and small pockets but finds nothing for the first while. It’s when he feels his powers exhausting that there is a small tickle of magic, he tried to reach towards it but it was too far and he felt himself be pulled back to reality as his magic gave out.

His eyes sprung open and tears came to his eyes.

He had felt him.

After nine long years he had finally felt that familiar pull of magic again. His own magic swirled ecstatically around him, but he felt nothing but sadness. He still wasn’t powerful enough.

He laid there even as the sun went down and the stars came out, falling into an easy sleep as his magic rejuvenated itself.

He was up with the sun the next morning and continued his travels, mad at himself for wasting a whole day when he knew he had less than a week before he would have to turn back around and head home before the strain on the anchor became too much.

It was a few days later, just as he was going to give up and head home, that he felt a familiar pull.

A magical pull.

He ran on burning legs until he reached a large town. It flourished with the lively locals, it was beautiful and Yeonjun felt charmed as he was greeted by kind strangers as he went by, one even giving him a small basket of colourful fruits and telling him to eat well while he was there.

Later he would take the time to admire the sights around the beautiful village, but in that moment he could only think about the presence of a magic he nearly felt he had forgotten. Arriving in what he could only assume was the centre of the town, he frantically glancing around before his eyes settled on a man. 

“Excused me, could I ask you about something? I’m looking for someone and I was wondering if you have seen him” Yeonjun asked the kind looking middle-aged man, he was shorter than Yeonjun but had strong muscles and tanned skin that flushed with the love of the sun.

“Of course, everyone knows everyone around here, if they’ve passed through I’m sure we would know, but first it’s only polite to introduce yourself, don’t you think?” the man’s voice was deep and warm like Yeonjun had been expecting, he found himself smiling and gave a small bow in respect for the elder before straightening back up.

He opened his mouth to introduce himself, a smile on his full lips.

“Please excuse my poor manners, my name is Choi Yeon-”

There was a swirl of magic in the air and it met with Yeonjun’s in a overjoyed burst. Yeonjun choked on his words as a familiar voice called him from behind.

“Yeonjun hyung?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, let me know what you thought in the comments!  
> Dill: the symbolism of dill changes depending on where and when it's referred to. In this story it is used as a symbol of preservation and a ward from evil. 
> 
> Who do you think Yeonjun found?


	3. Beomgyu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beomgyu waited nine years to meet his family again and it was better than he had ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!   
> I've changed the archive warning for graphic descriptions of violence, I wasn't sure if it was necessary but it's better to be   
> safe than sorry. 
> 
> This chapter has violence and minor character death. Please read with discretion. 
> 
> If I forgotten any tags you feel would be appropriate please let me know.

**Nine Years Ago**

They were on his trail, their loud footfalls sounding much faster than his own, it couldn’t be helped he was just nine summers old and was shorter than what Soobin and Yeonjun had been when they were his age.

Beomgyu ran as fast as his short legs allowed, pushing himself further whenever he heard the footfalls grow closer.

He could feel his eyes tearing up at the stress of the situation, he wasn’t sure he could handle it without his hyungs, Taehyun or Kai, they were his emotional support more than even his family were.

He realised seconds too late as his foot was caught in a trap on the ground, the rope tightening as he became airborne.

He felt disoriented as he swung side-to-side, blood rushing to his head from the upside-down position he was now held in. He tried lifting himself to reach the trapped limb but wasn’t strong enough.

A low chuckle made his movements freeze, body dropping back into it’s dangling position as his eyes met with two men standing a few meters away, amusement painted across their faces as they watched the helpless child.

They were dressed in dark red robes, the official garments of Chaos witches. They were similar in height but there was a noticeable enough difference. The taller of the two had dark blonde hair, the colour would probably look brown when wet Beomgyu noted. The shorter man’s hair was a midnight blue, it could be mistaken for black in the minimal light of the night.

“I never thought we’d actually gain anything from these stupid human traps but would you look at that, it appears we caught one of our targets” the blonde’s tone was taunting but Beomgyu could do little more than glare towards the obnoxious man.

“Oh, his got some fire in him, it’s a shame we need to get rid of him not many are this brave so early in their lives” the darker haired witch said, smirking at the child’s hateful gaze.

Beomgyu released a low growl as he noticed the two men step closer, a glint alerted him to the small knife in the taller man’s hands.

“Calm it kid, we’re going to cut you down. Don’t bother running, we’ll strike you down before you could even make it five steps” the shorter man was cocky, but he clearly didn’t think much of Beomgyu or his magical abilities, that was what the younger was going to work with, they would all pay for terrorising his family.

Obediently he waited for them to cut the rope holding him up, his patience rewarding him as they lowered him carefully to the ground rather than just letting him drop.

“What should we do now, just kill him?” the blonde asked apathetically, not at all concerned about the child slowly rising from where he laid on the ground. The shorter man shrugged and turned towards the child, his eyes widening as he noticed the whirls of blue the younger’s body released, the magic powerful enough to lightly blow the boys hair.

“What is he d-”

The man was cut off by his own pain filled screams as his body hit the ground with a resounding thud, the noise being dulled by the rain which began to pelt the earth.

The taller man turned, eyes horrified as he looked at his friends still body, it was burnt to a crisp and still lightly smoking from the unforgiving lighting strikes that took him down. Letting his eyes stray he noticed the hateful blue now directed at him, the magical energy around the boy’s body only seemed to have grown.

“Shit”

The man’s body hit the ground, his head landing in a shallow puddle. Though the hit hurt, it was nowhere close to being a killing blow. Sighing in relief he thanked his luck that the child’s power looked more powerful than it was, something that he soon learned was entirely wrong.

He tried to move but found his wrists and head stuck, the muddy puddles seemingly keeping him in place. He felt his panic rise as the water began to rise, he could do nothing but beg as the water reached his nose and mouth.

“You shouldn’t have come here” Beomgyu said, his tone deadly serious as he controlled the water on the ground to gather around his victim’s head, his mind not fully comprehending his actions. He watched in morbid fascination as the man drowned in the puddle, unable to fight and left to die helplessly by the hands of the very child he had planned to kill.

Staring at the corpses on the ground, Beomgyu finally came back to himself. Gagging, he turned away from the gruesome sight and his weak knees bought him to the ground.

_It’s fine, you were just protecting yourself. If you hadn’t done this, they would have killed you instead. It was self-defence, they would have gone after the other if you let them go. You are no monster Choi Beomgyu._

The boy continued to give himself small thoughts of reassurance as he avoided the sight, letting the rain pour over him in comforting waves.

Crying soundlessly for a minute, he managed to calm himself down enough to stand back up. He knew he had to continue, others would have felt the large amount of power he used and were probably already on their way to finish the job their friends had started.

Proving his thoughts wrong he heard the rain give him a gentle warning of incoming assailants. Thanking it softly, he once again forced himself into a run.

He felt as he was once again surrounded, his time with more witches than he could handle. He could feel as he approached the barrier and made spit second decision to leave despite knowing the consequences.

He gave a silent goodbye as he burst through the layer of protection that shielded him his whole life.

The difference between the air of the forest and the outside world was large, the air outside had only the tiniest hint of magic in comparison to the magic that filled the woods inside the barrier. No longer having the magical assistance of the forest, Beomgyu dropped his rain, his eyes fading back to brown as he huffed in exhaustion.

Beomgyu would have focused on the change more if not for the overwhelming feeling of loss that filled him being, he could no longer fill any of his four, he had never noticed until that moment how connected their souls were.

His body felt heavy, but he forced himself to keep going as he knew that if he stopped, they would find him as soon as they joined him outside the barrier.

Beomgyu could feel as the clasps of unconsciousness tried to claw him in, his vision had blurred, his run slowed down to a lethargic stumble and his mind fuzzy as he found himself confused, unsure what he was doing anymore.

After only 10 minutes his body could no longer hold out, collapsing to the ground in a boneless heap. If he had been awake he would have heard the alarming snap in his arm as it took the brunt of his fall, but unconsciousness was kind to him, keeping him in it’s kind embrace and away from the both the physical and mental pain that was sure to wreak him.

He had no way of hearing an alarmed shout as a horse cart pulled up not far from his broken body. Careful hands picked him up, cradling his small body as they hurried back to their cart, laying his body comfortably among the bags of produce and other helpful items the kind stranger bought along his travels.

By the time he woke up he had no way of returning home, the barrier closed and he could no longer sense it, he had cried for days but was consoled and looked after by the kind stranger and his wife.

**Present Day**

The sun warmed over his skin, gentle caressing him as he wiped sweat from his brow, a proud smile on his face as he looked over at the hard work he had accomplished on the field that day.

“Beomgyu!”

Turned around he gave a bright smile at the woman who had called for him. The woman was middle aged but looked younger due to her healthy appearance.

Ahn Hyunae was like an adopted mother to him. He called her aunt instead, never wanting to spoil the memory of his own parents, a sentiment the couple wholeheartedly agreed with. 

Her husband, Ahn Wonseok, had been the one to find him all those years ago and he couldn’t have been more grateful, the older man had saved his life when the chaos witches had come looking for him the village they had been temporarily staying at until Beomgyu had been well enough to travel the long distance back to the man’s home.

When they had arrived Hyunae had been understandably shocked but was quick to coddle him, making him feel loved and cared for. His parents found out quickly about his supernatural heritage but did not shun him, instead praising him and keeping his powers hidden from the other villagers.

Over the years, Beomgyu knew he was lucky to grow up so well, in an environment that was so filled with love and understanding, not many would get the second chance that he had.

Despite his comfortable life he never gave up searching for the forest and his friends. He would travel around every so often, making sure if was during the times where he knew the farm would be well taken care of. Sometimes Wonseok would travel with him, both his carers feeling better when they knew he was safe, but he never found anything. Strangely neither he nor Wonseok could remember where exactly he had been found so they had no basis on where to look.

He had spent the first two years after the attack mourning Taehyun, who he believed to have been killed during the attack. He wasn’t awake when the boy had disappeared but there was an emptiness in his chest where his connection with the younger used to sit, emptiness that he didn’t feel when it came to the remaining three soulmates. 

It was in his second year away that he finally started receiving Taehyun’s visits while he was asleep. It took him a long time to believe the younger when he told him he was alive but eventually he was convinced, the reveal bringing a new determination with him.

Unfortunately, he was the only one of the four that was burdened with the knowledge that Taehyun was dying.

It happened during the seventh year of their separation, the white and purple flowers became covered in a deadly red and Taehyun had stopped replying the whole visit. It was during his next visit that Beomgyu had demanded to know what had happened, pulling the reluctant truth from Taehyun. Beomgyu didn’t cry, he simply told the boy he wouldn’t die and that was that.

“You should come in now, you’ve been working all day” Hyunae called, a worried look on her face as she began to fuss over him, drying his face with a cloth and forcing him to drink the cup of water she had brought over to him. 

“You know me best aunt, I just finished anyway” he smiled, linking his arm through hers as he pulled her gently towards their home.

“Always the Charmer, I’ve always wanted to meet your parents just so I could see where you got it from” she said in jest but Beomgyu could see the sincerity in her eyes, it was always so heart-warming to hear his aunt and uncle talk about his parents, despite never having met them.

“Oh, definitely my mother, dad could get so awkward sometimes and it never failed to make me laugh” Beomgyu chuckled, his parents were always a pleasant memory and the thought of them often made him happy. Hyunae smiled at the comment, nodding and giving his arm a soft squeeze.

The pair walked into their small home, his aunt calling for her husband only to get no reply, the house left in compete silence.

“I bet that old man is still out mingling” she rolled her eyes, but the joking tone told him she was more amused than annoyed. “Beomgyu, could you be a dear and go out and grab him?” she asked, grabbing a small cup of water to water the plants that sat by the window.

“Of course! I’ll make sure to bring home more rice, we’re running low” he said, giving her a back hug, leaning down to rest his head on her shoulder. The older woman pulled away, whacking him on the shoulder. “Stop being such a sop and go, I’ll be here when you get back”.

“Yeah, yeah. You know you love my hugs, there is not one person alive who would hate my hugs” he gave her a grin as he slipped out through the front door.

The walk to town was full on noise as heh passed by the towns people, keeping his eyes peeled for his adoptive uncle.

A strange feeling of anticipation built in him the closer he got to the centre of town. He wasn’t sure what could be causing the feeling, but he felt as his dance rate picked up and his magic quivered beneath his skin to be released. He held it back with firm control, not wanting to risk any of the locals to see a physical trace of his magic.

As he approached the butchers, he finally spotted Wonseok, the older man standing with a blonde boy. Beomgyu couldn’t see him from the back but somehow he knew exactly who he was seeing.

He managed a few more steps before his magic confirmed his thoughts, it reached out greeting familiar magic of his oldest friend, a feeling he had missed in the nine years he was missing.

“Yeonjun hyung?”

Beomgyu watched as the male spun around at the call of his name, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of the younger.

“B-Beomgyu?”

There wasn’t even time to answer before he was being held tightly against a strong chest. In all the years everything about the blonde was simultaneously the same and completely different all at once.

Beomgyu felt as a tear dripped down his face, a happiness he never thought he would feel again flooded through his system. He hugged back just as hard as he was held, scared of letting go in case it was all in his head.

Yeonjun pulled back first, eyes shining in adoration as he looked down at his black hair friend, his hand came up to his face, touching every inch as if trying to memorise each detail.

“I can’t believe it. We had this feeling and it felt like something like this would happen but never in a million years di-”

“We? Are Soobin and Kai with you?” he didn’t mean to cut the older off but he couldn’t help it, the thought of being reunited with not one but multiple of his friends was overwhelming, his excitement visible.

Yeonjun looked at him fondly but shook his head, ruffling the youngers hair as he saw the megawatt smile dull slightly.

“Not quite, I still live in the forest with Kai but Soobin isn’t with us. We’ve been looking for you both all these years but never found anything until now” Yeonjun revealed, happy as he noticed the smile brightened again at the mention of Kai.

“Wait you still stay in the forest? How is that possible if you’re out here, there’s no way to get back until the barriers are down once you leave” Beomgyu stated, confused and worried at the situation. He didn’t want Yeonjun to be lost to the forest like he had.

“Don’t worry, Kai-ah is my anchor to the forest. Not long after that night we found a way of become each other connection to the forest, one of us always had to be in there and we can’t stray for more than about four weeks before the strain on the connection will cause it to break” Yeonjun explained, he couldn’t take his eyes off the younger, still not quite believing he was actually there.

An awkward cough reminded them that they weren’t alone. Beomgyu glanced around Yeonjun’s frame and gave a sheepish look to his uncle who stood there, eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“Wait our magic isn’t showing is for you, is it?” he asked panicked, glancing at the swirls of colour around himself and Yeonjun. The older man laughed and shook his head, at that Beomgyu sighed in relief, his heart calming down.

“Right! Uncle this is Choi Yeonjun, he’s one of the four wi-“ he quickly cut himself off, aware of the curious eyes watching them “-friends I told you about” he gestured at the blonde who gave an even deeper bow this time. Wonseok was flustered by the sudden action and was quick to rush forward and pull him back to his full height.

“None of that, I’ve done nothing that would make that necessary” Yeonjun clearly didn’t agreed but didn’t fight the older man on it, instead nodding and glancing at Beomgyu, who shook his head.

“We’ll talk when we get home, there are a lot of ears that are eager for gossip lingering, don’t you think” Wonseok looked around and agreed, leading both boys away.

They stopped by a trader and bought rice like Beomgyu had promised, before heading directly back to the Ahn house.

“Welcome back, it took yo-”

Hyunae stopped her greeting upon seeing the stranger standing with the boys by the entrance. She glanced at her husband and Beomgyu before giving the young adult a welcoming smile.

“Oh, we have a guest”

“Dear, this is Choi Yeonjun. He is one of the four” Wonseok said simply, watching with amusement at the shocked look on his wife’s face. Shaking away the surprise the woman was quick to usher them all over to the living area, gesturing for them to sit down.

“Yeonjun, would you like any water? It looks like you’ve had a long journey” she observed his tired appearance and ruffled clothes, there was a basket in his hand that he recognised as one of Mrs Ji’s and smiled in amusement.

“No thank you, I think okay for now” he said, sending her a charming smile.

Silence hung in the air as all four sat in awkward silence, none of them knowing where to begin. Yeonjun glanced awkwardly between them, wondering if he should start or if he should wait for them. He stayed quiet, the latter option seemed to be more polite, the couple probably needed a few minutes to process his sudden appearance.

“You’re the oldest of Beomgyu friends, right?” the man started, Yeonjun nodded in confirmation. “I’m 21 winters this year, I was born in fall” he answered, the man seemed satisfied with the answer.

“Are you in contact with any of the others, Beomgyu said he had no idea what happened to anyone but Taehyun” it was weird hearing his second youngest name from a strangers mouth but part of it had him feel warm, Beomgyu had clearly talked about them all a lot, the couple seemed so familiar with them all.

“I’ve been together with our youngest, Kai, this whole time. We’re still not sure of Soobin’s location and like Beomgyu we both hear from Taehyun when he’s gathered enough energy” the couple looked happy, something that surprised him. These strangers cared for Beomgyu so much that it carried out to himself that the others, he was glad.

“I’m sure you will all find each find each other again soon, you managed to find Beomgyu after all. What about your families? Beomgyu mentioned you all lived together” she asked kindly.

“Ah no, it’s been just me and Kai since…” the sentence trailed off, but the couple nodded, knowing what he was referring to.

“We’re pretty sure they are fine, Soobin should be with them as well”

Beomgyu wasn’t sure what he was missing but there was a slight quiver in the older boy’s voice that told him something was off with the statement. He would ask Yeonjun about it in private.

“I’m glad to hear that dear, I have just one final question-”

Hyunae turned to look at Beomgyu this time, he was confused by the sudden attention but listened regardless.

“-are you going to go back _home_ now?”

The way she said home was filled with so much understanding that Beomgyu felt himself tear up, he didn’t deserve them, either of them. They had raised him this long and they always knew him best, they were willing to let him go without a fight because they knew that was what’s best for him.

“I am.”

Hyunae closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, Beomgyu was sad but only watched as she re-opened them and gave him a smile so full of love that he could o longer hold back his tears. He stood up and walked to his guardians, pulling them into a hug, they both returned the gesture without hesitation.

Yeonjun watched from the heart melting sight from the side, content that everything was going to work out. He knew it was going to be hard for Beomgyu to leave his family behind, but he was happy that the younger had chosen them.

“Alright, stop being so overdramatic” Wonseok pulled away, trying to covertly wipe away his own tears. “This isn’t the end and it certainly isn’t last we’ll see of you” the man comforted, Beomgyu smiled and agreed, wiping this tear unabashedly.

“Isn’t it unfair how both my little boy and his friend are so handsome, I bet you all are. It was lovely meeting Yeonjun but next time we hope you’ll stay a bit longer. We’ll prepare horses for you the next time you visit so you’ll have to spend less time travelling”.

Yeonjun couldn’t be more thankful to the stars for the place Beomgyu had ended up. He knew the boy must have been lonely without one of them next to him, but he had ended up with a second family that readily treated him as their own. Yeonjun knew they would come back again soon; he wasn’t willing to separate Beomgyu from them.

“We want to meet Kai at some point as well, can’t have you two keeping him all to yourselves. You are all welcome here anytime”

Beomgyu pulled his aunt back into a hug, squeezing tightly.

“Well it’s too late in the day for you boys to leave tonight. How about I make us all something to eat and you boys can leave early tomorrow” it was more of a statement than a question but they agreed regardless, it wouldn’t be sensible to start travelling so close to evening time.

The dinner was pleasant, a quiet chatter going on as they ate. Yeonjun listened happily as Beomgyu whined at his carers who were cheerfully telling anecdotes about the younger. In return Yeonjun told them a few about Kai and himself, he was sure Beomgyu told them every detail about their lives before he was found.

It was after dinner that Beomgyu found himself laying down on his bed, pressed against Yeonjun’s chest, his arms wrapped securely around him, he had never felt as safe as he did in that moment.

“I’m not sure I’m a storm witch” he says, breaking the silence. He had been wanting to mention the development in his powers all evening but hadn’t found the right time to bring it up.

Yeonjun looks at him in surprise, not expecting the statement.

“What do you mean?” the eldest asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“I mean although I still control the weather, I can do more than that. I have control over the element of water in general, it listens to me subconsciously, like it’s a part of my soul. As if to prove a point, the water inside the vase on his windowsill lifted and was suspended in the air.

Yeonjun blinked owlishly at the new skill before turning his head back towards Beomgyu, who shrugged.

As they both turned their attention away from the show, the water lowered itself back into the vase on Beomgyu’s command.

“That was nothing, I can also control larger scales of water. I haven’t had as much chance to practice with all the humans around but it’s possible” he watched as the older boy nodded, a comprehensive look on his face.

“I guess we all developed then. Both me and Kai noticed that sort of thing too. I-I don’t think I can talk about mine right now, but I will soon” Beomgyu was alarmed as Yeonjun looked visibly shaken, but simply tightened his arms around the older, hoping it would offer a little comfort. He would tell him when he was ready.

“Let’s go to sleep now hyung, we have a long journey ahead of us” he felt the older boy nod against him. He knew when the older had fallen asleep as he felt the remaining tenseness in his body dissipate.

He glanced up at Yeonjun’s sleeping face, eyes tracing every detail, he was sad that his sharp eyes were closed, wanting nothing more than to stare into them for hours, but enjoyed looking none the less. He’d have all the time in the world to stare now, and he would.

It felt surreal, in less than two weeks had would be able to live with both Yeonjun and Kai again, in their special place. He couldn’t believe they had built a home for them all in the exact location Beomgyu had dreamed about since he was a child. After they had eaten Yeonjun had told him all about their cabin and the gardens and lakes surrounding it, he couldn’t even imagine what it looked like.

It was then he learnt that his dreams of Taehyun also differed from theirs as well. He was always outside, wandering around the farm as he listened to the sound of the oracles voice. He wondered if he would start appearing in the forest like the others when they arrived and if Soobin saw a place he considered safe during the visits.

With all those thoughts floating around he slowly fell into a light sleep.

The morning rushed by, Hyunae and Wonseok packing them light bags with an extra set of clothes, a small amount of food, and water. They accepted the supplies gratefully and Yeonjun stepped outside, giving the family some privacy as they said their goodbyes.

With promises of visiting, the two finally set off on their trip home.

Beomgyu was buzzing with excitement at the thought of entering the forest and seeing Kai for the first time in nearly ten years.

The journey was slow moving, but they made it work, Beomgyu was used to travelling but not solely on foot. It was a little over a week into their travel that they found themselves laying in a field, eyes looking up at the stars. They decided it was warm enough out to sleep in the open, they were still half a day away from the closest town.

“Hyung, what happened to Taehyun that night? Everything was fine- well not fine but you were all safe when I left and yet when I woke up it was all wrong. I spent two years thinking he was dead” his voice was soft as he turned slightly to look at his friend.

Yeonjun continued to stare up at the sky but Beomgyu noticed the slight wobble to his lip and decided to leave it be, he never wanted to upset him.

“It was my fault” was the answer he received after several minutes of silence.

“That night, he was about to be attacked and the next thing I know he was gone. I had stopped the attack but only because I sent him to some other dimension that I can’t even find”

He heard a sigh as Yeonjun sat up, pulling his knees to himself. Beomgyu followed the movement but cuddled himself into the teller’s side.

“It’s funny, I didn’t understand it at the time but a while ago Tyun said you blamed yourself for something ridiculous, I’m guessing this is what he was talking about” a small smile appeared on his face as he remember the put-out tone the younger had used when talking about it.

Yeonjun blanched at the statement but didn’t move away.

“Stupid? I literally sent him somewhere and thought he was dead for a year. He had to teach himself how to project just so he would have someone to talk to. He has been alone for nine years, Beomgyu. Not like me, you or Kai, he has no one but some stupid flowers” his voice trembled as he blinked away tears.

Beomgyu leaned his head on Yeonjun shoulder, leaning into him as he let the older calm down a bit. He couldn’t believe how much guilt the older had been carrying by himself this whole time, it was just like him to suffer in silence.

“Taehyun’s never wrong”.

Yeonjun turned his head to look at him when he said it, not understanding what he was trying to say.

“Taehyun is never wrong and he said it wasn’t your fault. If he says that then I believe him, and you should too. The fault lies in the witches that attacked us that night, you never know what would have happened if you hadn’t intervened” his tone was stern but his gaze was gentle as he looked at the blonde, his hand reaching out to interlock with one of Yeonjun’s.

“Now I think it’s a good time to leave it for tonight, the early we sleep the sooner we had head out tomorrow”.

Beomgyu pulled them both back down to lay on the grass, their legs entangling as they fell into an easy rest.

“ _You’ve found each other”_

_Beomgyu opened his eyes as he heard the familiar voice. Looking around he noticed the farm was still the sight that greeted him. Deciding against walking, he sat on the ground, back leaning against one of the fences._

_“We did, my instinct was right after all”_

_There was a comfortable silence as a light breeze ruffled Beomgyu’s dark hair, he closed his eyes, enjoying the moment and imagining it was Taehyun’s fingers running through his hair._

_“Tyun-ah, the others don’t know, do they?”_

_The telling silence he got in return was answer enough and he sighed, he waited for verbal confirmation and soon received it._

_“No.”_

_Shaking his head slightly he watched the firefly dance around each other, enjoying each other company._

_“If you don’t tell them, you know I will. If we don’t do something soon, you’re going to-”_

_“Don’t say it” Taehyun voice cut him off and he glared at the air._

_“-die, you’re going to die Taehyun. Yeonjun hyung is the only one who can save you and you know it”_

_“You don’t know that! I still have time and he already feels burdened enough without my mess” the younger denied stubbornly._

_“Burden? Taehyun he is going to feel much worse when he finds out that you died because you were too stubborn to ask for help. Yeonjun has us to support him, what do you have? A few dying flowers?” he knew he was being harsh, but he meant it._

_For the last year and a half, he had been left with the knowledge that the more time that passed, the weaker Taehyun was getting. He still remembered how terrified he felt when the bright flowers that decorated the dream farm had suddenly darkened with spattering’s of blood and his worries had been answered by silence,_

_Taehyun had not responded the rest of his sleep and he was left petrified until his next encounter that he would never get the chance to see or hear the younger again._

_Luckily, that didn’t happen and a few weeks later he once again appeared in that familiar farm, Taehyun voice greeting him as if nothing had happened. Of course, Beomgyu didn’t let it go and had eventually forced the truth out of the younger._

_“Stop it, Beomgyu!” he knew he had angered Taehyun, but he stood by what he said, he wasn’t going to sit by and wait for Taehyun to simply disappear without a fight._

_“No, you listen to me Kang Taehyun. Once I wake up and am reunited with Kai again, I am telling them both the truth. They deserve to know!”_

_The air was filled with a hostile silence, the beautiful bugs that once danced through the air had all disappeared, their ambience destroyed by the aggressive argument._

_“Do whatever you want, Choi Beomgyu-ssi. You always do anyway”_

_Beomgyu wanted to fight back, he wanted to scream, and cry but could do nothing at all as the world faded out and Beomgyu had to rest with the fact that Taehyun was truly furious at him._

_“Taehyun stop! Don’t you run away!”_

“Beomgyu?”

“Beomgyu, wake up! It’s just a dream”

He was pulled from his sleep with a grasp, he had never been so violently tossed from Taehyun’s dreamscape before. In fact, he had only ever woken up naturally.

A hand touched his face, wiping away the tears from his cheeks as heavy breathes continued to escape from his lungs.

“Are you alright, was it a nightmare?” Yeonjun asked worriedly, he had been surprised when the younger had started crying out in his sleep, he knew the younger must have been dreaming about them or at least Taehyun as he had heard him speak his name.

“Not a nightmare, I was with Taehyun and I guess I really pissed him off this time”

“Ow-” rubbing the back of his head he glanced up at the older who wore a disapproving frown.

“No cursing, it’s unnecessary and you’re better than that” he stated before pulling him into a hug. “Now want to tell me what happened with Taehyun. I’ve never seen something like that before” Beomgyu could hear the other’s curiosity but couldn’t really bring himself to talk about it so he shook his head.

“Not really, I will but I’d prefer to do it when Kai is with us as well. I’ll just say that I said something he didn’t like, and he decided he didn’t want to talk to me anymore”

Yeonjun nodded his head and rubbed his back comfortingly.

“I can’t believe you managed to make our Taehyunnie mad, I don’t think I can ever remember a time when he was made before” Yeonjun looked nostalgic and Beomgyu released a snort.

“I guess it’s a talent of mine then, it’s not the first time I made him mad. It is the most I’ve seen from him though. It was for his own good but you know how he can be” he sighed, hoping the younger would calm down soon and contact him again, he wouldn’t know what to do it Taehyun refused to talk to him.

“Well since we’re both up I think it would be best just to start moving already. The sun hadn’t yet begun to rise but it wasn’t far off.

The last few days of their journey passed without word from Taehyun, something that was unsurprising as he only contacted them every few weeks, but it still upset Beomgyu.

It was on their thirteenth day of travel that Yeonjun’s mood suddenly brightened, his face lighting up as they entered a small village.

“We’re close, this is the closest place to the forest. In the next half hour, you and Kai-ah can finally see each other again!” he enthused, Beomgyu’s own mood shot up at the words, he couldn’t believe they were so close.

“Let’s make it 10”

He sped-up, prompting Yeonjun to do the same as they practically ran the rest of the way. The older stopped them in a clearing and clung to his hand as he pulled them through the invisible force of the barrier.

The magic that rushed to greet him upon his arrival was overwhelming, the air was thick with the forest’s magic. Wildlife in general carried natural magic but nothing outside came close to even a fraction of this magic. 

“Welcome home” The smile on Yeonjun’s face was even more breath-taking than the feeling of the magic that surrounded him.

“I’m back”

A rush of footsteps was heard before a tall brunette burst through the trees. His movement stuttered to a holt as the took in the sight of Beomgyu.

Kai hadn’t changed despite how much he had grown. Beomgyu found himself wrapped him another hug, this one just as good as Yeonjun’s, a feeling that he didn’t know was possible. He heard his name whispered repeatedly as Kai cried onto his shoulder.

“How did you get so tall. Last time I saw you were so much shorter than me” he joked, stroking his hand through the brunette locks. The comment got him a wet laugh from the younger.

Yeonjun joined the hug, he loved the sight but also didn’t want to miss out on the action.

“I think we should head inside; we’ve been travelling for weeks and Beomgyu had something he wanted to tell us. Apparently, it was important enough to insight Taehyun’s anger” Yeonjun joked but started pulling them in the direction of their cabin.

The air was light during the short walk and Beomgyu marvelled at the beautiful sight upon reaching their destination, it was more than he could even imagine. They ended up sitting out there until it got dark, Beomgyu wanting nothing more than to enjoy the view as he indulged himself in the company of too boy’s he never thought he’d have the comfort of being around again.

It was later when he found them sitting around a beautifully carved table that he finally let go off the heavy truth of Taehyun’s condition. As expected, he was met with tears, but he hushed them quickly, stern as he made sure they understood he had no intention of letting anything happen.

“I’m not going to be able do to this alone and honestly most of the heavy lifting will have to be from Yeonjun hyung with our support, but Taehyun is not going to die, no matter what he thinks. We’re going to get him out and we are going to get the happily ever after that is owed to us”

Kai snorted out a laugh, almost chocking on his tears.

“That was really corny, Beomgyu” Yeonjun laughed out, before turning to Kai.

Beomgyu watched as Yeonjun pat the youngest on the back, a smile on his face. It was then he knew that everything was going to be alright, it might not for a while but now that he had the two of them he wasn’t going to let go for anything.

Anyone who tried to hurt them would suffer by his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Did anyone think it was going to be Beomgyu?


	4. Kai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well the chapter is longer than I anticipated because the flashback had a life of it's own but I hope you all enjoy!  
> I'm sorry for any mistakes I literally just finished writing the chapter but I don't have time to edit it, sorry if the end feels a little rushed. 
> 
> Chapter Warnings!  
> Minor Character Death

“I ha-have to keep going”

Inhale

“I have to hide”

Exhale

“The bad witches will hurt me-”

His subdued breathing cut him off.

“-if they find me”

“I can do this.”

“They are depending on me.”

“I’m brave.”

Kai wasn’t sure how long he had been running, but he found it was becoming difficult to breathe properly, his limbs felt heavy and he knew he would need to rest soon, or he would collapse.

A second too late he realised as one foot got caught on the other, his whole body pitching harshly towards the ground. His arms flailed but his muddled brain failed to coordinate his movements to catch himself, instead he felt as his head connected with the side of a rock.

He tried to bring himself up into a seated position but stopped as the movement felt nauseating, the vision spinning as he glanced around.

Panic began to build in his gut; Kai knew he needed to get up, but his body was fighting it. His concern doubled as he felt something wet drip down his face, forcing him to close one eye as the liquid flowed over it.

He knew without checking that it was blood, the hit was harder than he had expected and had obviously caused a mild injury. He sat up, this time with little trouble, and brought a hand up to press against the injury.

There was a time where Beomgyu had fallen and hit his head and Kai’s mother, as the resident white witch, had helped heal the injury. He remembered her mentioning that even non-serious head injures could bleed a lot, so it was best to limit and stop the bleeding as soon as possible. Kai, as a creature witch couldn’t heal himself, but he could try and stop the bleeding.

Surveying his clothing, he noticed his shirt already had a tear from the fall, so he ripped the bottom off easily, tying the spare fabric tightly against the cut. He knew his mother would praise his quick thinking later and felt proud of himself.

**_Huening Kai._ **

****

The sudden call of his name made him jump, scared eyes darting around to look for the owner of the enchanting voice. His whole body stiffened in awe as he met eyes filled with limitless knowledge and power, the feeling almost overwhelming but he could do nothing but blink, his worries momentarily forgotten.

**_I am here, child of life._ **

****

The voice was as powerful as he imagined but was filled with warmth as it spoke to him. The heavenly creatures had a similar appearance to that of a crow but was set apart by its much larger frame, three legs, and it’s long beautiful feathered tail.

A Samjoko.

He had never seen one before now, but he was sure that this was the creature he was staring at, it had an aura that could only equal one of a deity.

**_Follow me, the protectors of the forest have created a space for you to hide from evil._ **

****

He nodded, following the legendary bird in a trance. He wasn’t sure how or why a bird of the sun was helping him, particularly when the sun had already been chased away by the moon. Reaching out his magic a little he was shocked as he could feel the emotions and intentions of the creature as easily as an animal of the mundane realm.

**_I’m sure you can feel my intensions are pure, young witch. I wish for nothing more than your safety._ **

****

It was true, the Samjoko radiated kindness of warm sun rays, he could feel its confidence in the place that the forest creatures had made to protect him and would ensure he would get there without trouble.

“I do. I thank you for your kindness” he replied, finding his voice to respond to the suns messenger.

**_There is no need for thanks between us, you won’t understand right now but you are a child under the protection of the sun for you are a giver of life._ **

****

He didn’t understand, he was a simple creature witch but he nodded, not wanting to disagree and offend a guardian of the sun.

He came to a stop as the Samjoko landed, wind blowing his hair and clothing with the final flap of its powerful wings.

**_We are here and it is time for us to part, you will be safe with now as the animals will protect you. Hide until you feel your oldest friend, only then can they ensure your safety, life will not be easy for you, but you are braver than you believe, stay true to yourself, young witch._ **

****

He watched as the guardian ascended into the sky, not taking his eyes off the mystical sight until it disappeared into the cover of night. He was pulled from his trance by the furry body brushing itself urgently against his legs.

Rain started to pour, he raised his head toward the sky and prayed to the stars as he knew Beomgyu wouldn’t have caused such a storm if he wasn’t in trouble. The downpour got heavier by the second and Kai felt uneasy.

He could feel the small fox calling for his attention indicating for him to enter the hastily made burrow to his left. Nodding he left the rain, entering the dry den and cringing at the feeling of leaves sticking to his wet skin. The space was cramp but comfortable, he was suddenly glad he wasn’t scared of small spaces like Soobin was.

It was larger than the average fox den, being dug out specifically to hide his body from the intruder who – if the Samjoko’s words were to be believed – were there to find him and his friends. The thought worried him, but he knew hiding would help them more that running after them would.

Once he was seated comfortably the animals warned him they were going to disguise the entrance and reiterated that he should not leave before Yeonjun found him, to which he nodded at, trusting the animals were doing what was best for him.

Just before the finally moonlight was blocked out the creature asked for him to subdue his aura as much as he possibly could, he would be find if a witch with high tracking abilities were to be looking for him and subduing his magic would help eliminate the chance of him being caught.

Closing his eyes, he reached for his magic and cut it off, no longer using enough energy to hear the animals around him. It felt odd, he had never had reason to resist the pull of his magic and it was harder then he had assumed, he knew he hadn’t completely cut-it off as he could still feel the high strung emotions of the animals guarding his hiding spot.

The forest was eerily quiet when he felt the deep feeling of loss, his body folding over as if to fight off the awful feeling in his chest. The soothing pitter-pattering of the rain against the ‘ceiling’ stopped abruptly, further nailing the dreadful tug on his heart.

“No, this can’t be happening”

His body rocked slightly as he tried to cope with the implications of the sudden loss, his young mind jumping to tragic conclusions which only worsened his state. He mumbled to himself over and over as he cried silently for Beomgyu, whose fate he could only assume the worst.

He felt as the forest animals began to panic, the heavy footsteps coming seconds later as someone approached.

Kai, felt himself hold his breath, he wasn’t sure if the aggressor would be able to hear it from underground but his mind was in overdrive, he had no way of protecting himself if the witch found and attacked him.

“A gather, I guess the little creature witch must be around here somewhere” the voice was muffled but taunting, clearly having noticed the unusual gathering of forest creatures and putting the pieces together.

The animals were on defence, he could feel how tense they were as they carefully watched the intruder.

It was at that moment when a second wave of pain impaled his already wounded heart. It was then he knew Beomgyu was safe after all, but his best friend was not so lucky with his fate.

Tears ran from his tired eyes as he sat in complete shock, they were too young for people to be this cruel. Taehyun was the same age as him and yet the cruelty of the chaos witches didn’t care for age only for their target.

It was the animals that alerted him to his mistake, their panicked noises and the sound of rushed footsteps were enough to know he had messed up. Mulling it over he realised he must have screamed subconsciously and knew he was going to join his friend. 

A hand grabbed his hair before yanking him harshly out of his hiding stop, he cried out in pain at the assault. His body hit the ground as his attacker threw him.

That was it, he was dead. He sent silent apologies to his friends and family who would be devastated but was at peace knowing his friend wouldn’t be lonely when he joined him.

“Get away from the boy!”

The shout was familiar, and Kai found himself opening his blurry eyes. Behind the Chaos witch stood the familiar figure of Yeonjun’s father, Choi Rowoon, the older man seethed as he saw the pathetic state of the boy he had watched grow up alongside his son.

“He is just a boy, if you take a step closer, I will have to eliminate you” Rowoon threatened, his palm glowing a purple shade darker than Yeonjun’s own did when he used his magic.

“I’m so scared, move out of the way or I’ll have to kill you before I get the brat and that would just be a waste of energy” the witch was cocky, Kai felt sick to his stomach as he watched the confrontation.

“Stop please, Mr Choi you need to go to Yeonjun hyung he needs you right now. I’m okay, I need to go or Taehyun will be lonely” Mr Choi looked surprised at his words, mouthing Taehyun’s name before gritting his teeth in agony, understanding the connotation of the sentence. A whole knew rage burned in his eyes as he looked towards the man dressed in red.

“You already killed? They are only children you sick bastards” he asked slowly, walking around the man and towards where Kai sat on the forest floor, several animals by his side.

The witch shrouded in red shrugged “I guess so, it wasn’t me personally but by the end of the night all of them will share his fate. The boy is right, just go to your family so I can help him join his friend”.

Purple magic slammed directly into the chaos user, their body flying several feet away before hitting the ground with a painful crack.

“The only family I have left includes this boy, the child you murdered in cold blood and my son who it appears you also want to kill, I have nothing more to lose and I won’t” Rowoon stood directly in front of Kai now, his back to the younger who stared up at the man with side eyes, still dripping with tears.

“It’s going to be okay Kai, you’re safe and we’re gong to avenge Taehyun for what they’ve done. He’ll be sad if you let yourself go like this” the older man spoke in a quiet but soothing tone as he turned slightly towards him. Kai sniffled but nodded, he was right, Taehyun would be angry if he just let himself die without trying to live.

“I’m sorry”

He saw as Rowoon sent him a gentle smile before turning back to the Chaos witch, who had managed to get himself back onto his feet.

“Don’t be sorry, just live for him. Now go, I’ll deal with him”

The next thing he knew bright purples and red were clashing in a battle of dominance. Knowing this was his chance, Kai stood and followed the animals that had surrounded him, confident that they would bring him to safety.

The woodland creatures bought him to another burrow, this time vowing to protect him much more viciously, they wouldn’t let anything happen to their hope. Something they thankfully didn’t have to do, as hours past and the forests barriers came back up, purging any lingering negative energy left inside.

Kai heard the screams of pain as the remaining Chaos witches were helpless against the forest anguished magic, taking it’ revenge against the vile imposters who ruined the peace and sanctity that the forest had promised. He was grateful, though he couldn’t condone violence he couldn’t feel compassion from those who took Taehyun away from him and forced Beomgyu and Soobin to flee.

By the time he heard the familiar calls of his name he was dozing off lightly, the tension from before leaving and being replaced by pure exhaustion, both mentally and physically. 

“Kai! I’m here, can you hear me?”

He knew that voice, his mind shaking off any thoughts of sleep as he bolted up, ignoring the slight dizziness as he burst out from his hiding place.

“Yeonjun hyung!”

The name was cried out as he slammed into the older boy, clinging desperately to the only person he had left. Tears escaped his eyes as he finally let himself breakdown.

Yeonjun hugged him for dear life, whispering comforts and reassurances into his ear all the while sounding breathlessly relieved.

Kai resisted as he felt the older start to pull away but couldn’t fight much with his exhausted limbs. Yeonjun looked him up and down, hands grasping his face as he noticed the self-made bandage on his forehead, the once yellow fabric now a wet red as the blood soaked through.

“What happened, are you okay?” he shook his head, he couldn’t even feel the injury against the pain in his chest.

“I tripped, but hyung they’re all gone”

“…”

The forest was quiet, Kai leaned forward once again asking to be embraced by the taller, Yeonjun complying with shaky arms.

“I-It’s going to be okay, we’re going to find them and be a family like we planned” his voice was wet and Kai could feel as his shirt met that same fate.

“We can’t”

Yeonjun pulled back again, looking into his eyes in anguish as he shook his head in denial.

“We can! I promise we can Kai” Yeonjun insisted but Kai once again shook his, they couldn’t not anymore. They were five but there could only be four.

“Taehyun’s dead hyung, our family can’t be complete when one of us can never come back” his tone was empty and blunt but not angry, he was stating the facts even if it hurt him. Taehyun was his best friend and their family had and always would include him.

Yeonjun burst into tears, releasing his grip on Kai’s shoulder as he lowered himself into a crouch, apologies repeatedly leaving his mouth.

“I’m sorry, I ruined everything” Kai bent down, gently stroking Yeonjun’s back in an imitation of how his father always comforted him when he cried.

“It wasn’t your fault hyung” he tried but the older stood up, eyes angry and helpless as they looked at Kai, who followed the older and stood up straight, not breaking eye contact. He knew Yeonjun needed to get whatever it was he was holding back out of his system, so he waited for the inevitable explosion.

“You don’t know anything, Kai, it was me that killed him. I have no idea what I did but I hit him with my magic and now he’s dead. Not some stupid dark witch. IT. WAS. ME.”

Yeonjun’s breathes came out in puffs as guilt overcame him, Kai simply stared at him giving no reaction to his confession and he wanted nothing more than to get on his hands and knees and beg for forgiveness.

“It wasn’t” Kai’s small voice filled the air; certainty filled his declaration as he challenged the older to disagree.

“Taehyun knew exactly what was going to happen and he decided he was okay with it, he looked so exhausted after his vision earlier but not in the same way he usually does. Don’t you get it, Yeonjun? He saw his fate and decided it was better than whatever alternate he saw, he made his choice when he did nothing to change it”.

He had thought about this a lot during his hours alone, recalling the events that led the disaster. He didn’t question it at the time but Taehyun looked resigned after his vision, his friend had seen his options and had chosen his fate without a fight, whatever else his saw must have been truly frightening.

He knew Taehyun wouldn’t have left if he had any other choice.

“Taehyunnie wouldn’t have wanted you to blame yourself for something he already knew would happen, you know that”.

Yeonjun sighed, he didn’t exactly agree with the words but knew he was going to lose the argument if he decided to continue.

Kai waited for a response, Yeonjun giving a feeble nod when he noticed.

“I was wrong, we are going to get our family back”

The sudden declaration surprised Yeonjun, who looked at the younger’s determination with confusion.

“We always promised to be together and I know Taehyun is still with us even if not physically. We will get Beomgyu hyung and Soobin hyung back and we’re going to live out the life Taehyun saw” his words were final and Yeonjun found himself agreeing, a new determination filling him.

Even if not right now, he would fix this the best way he can. He would find the other with Kai and they would get their happy ending.

That was final. 

“Oh, that reminds me. Did your dad find you earlier?” Kai asked suddenly, remembering how the older man had saved his life earlier that night.

“My…dad?”

Kai frowned, clearly Yeonjun had not seen him at all, the thought worried him. Mr Choi had seemed so determined earlier, there was no way he would have not gone looking for Yeonjun if he was able too. A bad feeling rose in him and he grasped the older boy’s hand, tugging him in the direction he had left the older hedge witch

“Where are we going?” the silence that answered him was concerning but he couldn’t see Kai’s expression to read the situation, all he knew was it was about his dad.

The first things he saw was the empty red robes he recognised being similar to the chaos witch that had attacked himself and Taehyun a few hours before.

He assumed the physical body was disintegrated by the forest extermination, but the clothing had been left behind, void of negative energy.

They stumbled upon several more of these robes before Yeonjun felt his knees almost buckled beneath him. Kai help him up as they both looked at the body in front of them in shock.

“…Dad!”

Kai watched as Yeonjun stumbled towards the lifeless body of his father, shaking his body and calling out for him as tears cascaded from his eyes.

He stayed quiet, crying silently and simultaneously apologising to and thanking the man, if he hadn’t stayed behind to save him, he would had survived.

Why did they have to lose so many?

He knew without stepping foot in their small village that his family along with everyone else would be gone, they likely took Soobin and escaped after they learned of Beomgyu’s disappearance and Taehyun’s death. Though he was sad, he was glad they escaped and hoped he would see them all again one day in the future.

He was sure that for the rest of his life, no event would every live up to the tragedy that had befallen them that night. If something worse happened his not sure he’ll want to survive it.

“I’m sorry, hyung. He saved me and told me to run so I did, more witches must have come after I left and attacked him” he mourned looking sadly towards Mr Choi’s body. Yeonjun lifted his teary gaze to meet his, the older shaking his head.

“My dad is the same, he might not have known as Hyun did, but he made his choice. I’m glad you’re safe and I know he is too; he did not die in vain.

Yeonjun stood after giving his dad one last longing look. He held his hand out for Kai to take, the younger rushing forward to do so.

“Let’s go home. We both need rest and the forest will look after him tonight, tomorrow I will give him the burial he deserves” Kai squeezed his hand and looked at him will a watery smile.

“We both will, he said we were all his family and I agree. Tomorrow we will bury our own and send him off to the stars together”.

\-----

“Hyuka, wake up”

Blinking his eyes open he was met with the sight of Beomgyu, the older boy hovered over him with a bright smile on his face. It had been weeks since his return, but it still felt like a dream.

Kai stretched his arms up, smiling as he watched Beomgyu sit back slightly as he waited for him to wake up properly.

“I’m the last one awake?”

He heard the older hum in confirmation as he reached out the card his fingers through his messy hair.

“Yeonjun hyung already left for the morning, I think he wanted to go and discuss trading with the village or something” Kai nodded, they had been discussing this for a while but had been distracted by Beomgyu’s return, he was glad the other remembered.

“Do you want help in the garden today?”

Sitting himself up on the bed, Kai leaned forward so he was leaning on the storm witch, who happily embraced him. It had been like this for the last few weeks, Beomgyu had been attached to either him or Yeonjun hyung every waking moment since he entered the forest and they were happy to comply.

He couldn’t imagine how Beomgyu (along with Soobin and Taehyun) coped for the last nine years, he wasn’t sure he could have without the help of Yeonjun, who had been his pillar. It was no surprise now that they were together again Beomgyu couldn’t stand the idea of separation at least for the moment, they’d work on it over the month to ensure he doesn’t become dependent on them. He was sure Beomgyu was strong enough for that not to happen, but they could never be too careful.

“I always enjoy your company in the garden, let’s eat grab something and then we can eat outside. There’s no point in wasting such beautiful weather” the sun shone gently down on them, the early morning rays were warm and not too intense, he was sure there would be a nice breeze outside to accompany it.

They both washed up and dressed for the day, grabbing some fruit and sandwiches on their way out. As they stepped outside, Kai heard a relaxed sigh from beside him. Beomgyu had a nostalgic look as he stared out at the lake, enjoying as it shimmered in the sun.

“I still can’t believe you guys built it here like we talked about when we were young”

Kai hummed, taking Beomgyu’s hand into his own and giving it a light squeeze. Maybe breakfast in the garden’s wasn’t on the agenda for the morning, he had thought of an idea that he was sure would make Kai much happier.

“How about we ignore the garden for a while and eat breakfast on the lake instead. You haven’t been on our island since you got here, right?”

He watched as Beomgyu’s eyes sparkled at the idea, nodding eagerly as Kai pulled him towards the small boat by the shore.

The boat ride was short, Beomgyu had insisted he demonstrated his newfound gift with water as a way to get there rather than row. Kai clapped, genuinely impressed with how much control the older had other his second power.

“The gazebo is beautiful, what made you build it out here?”

There was wonder in his eyes as he looked at the beautiful wooden structure, Kai couldn’t help but stare fondly at the sight.

“You”

He met Beomgyu’s surprised face with a smile, it was the truth he was their muse when they had built it. The island was a special place for them all, they used to play and relax here often but Beomgyu’s love for the lake surpassed their own feelings, the storm witch adored the calm waters. After his disappearance the two of them couldn’t help but think of him every time they looked out at the once loved space, in the end they decided to build the gazebo hoping one day they could sit there all together again.

“I- well it’s beautiful, you guys did a really great job” there was a slight blush on the his cheeks but the fond smile was what Kai noticed more, it was small but the sight of it filled Kai with love. He was glad that their investment paid off, Beomgyu genuinely loved it.

He hoped the other two would as well.

The two laid on the floor of the gazebo, enjoying the sounds of nature that surrounded them. Kai loved to go into town, it was always so full of life as people went about their day, laughing and gossiping, but he was glad he lived in the peaceful environment of the forest.

Some would think it lonely and to a degree it was, there was something missing but when they were all back together, he was sure they would never feel lonely again. The forest was full of life in a way so different to the town, but was no less exciting or beautiful, Kai knew he could appreciate it more than most as he was able to communicate with those who others could not but he was sure the five of them all felt the same.

“What was it like being away for all these years?”

Beomgyu looked thoughtful at the question, there were plenty of ways to answer but he there wasn’t one solid way to describe the feeling.

“I guess it really depended on the day, I always felt the hole that way left without you guys but I think I was lucky. The couple that took me in were kind, they treated me as their own and I never went with out but there wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t think of you all”

Kai nodded thoughtfully, once again glad that he had Yeonjun all that time but glad Beomgyu had someone he could lean on.

“I knew one day we would all meet again which was what kept me going. The first two years were probably the hardest, I was in a new place without you guys or my family and I couldn’t use my magic freely in fear of the reaction of the villagers, it was tough, but Hyunae and Wooshik helped me through it. I can never repay them for what they did for me”

Beomgyu smiled gently, so different from his usual bright or mischievous smile. Kai could tell how much the older couple meant to him.

“I want to meet them one day; they seem like great people”

“The best”

The comfortable silence was back as they laid there for another hour. Kai would stay there all day if he could but knew the garden wouldn’t tend to itself. He pulled Beomgyu up, to which the older whined obnoxiously at, purposely dropping his whole weight on the younger as he did so.

“You’re as childish as ever” Kai said cheerfully, easily taking the weight of the older and dropping him into the boat.

The atmosphere was brighter as they worked in the gardens, Kai showing Beomgyu how best to tend to the different plants. Somewhere along the way they spoke of Soobin, the older raving about how much the green witch would love it here once he returned, Kai agreed, Soobin had been the whole reason he worked so hard making and expanding the garden as much as he had.

“Do you still feel that feeling?” Beomgyu asked, tilting his head questioningly towards Kai, the younger looked confused for a second before figuring it out.

“Yeah, it never went away after we found you. I’m not sure if it’s what we think but there’s a chance we’ll be meeting either Hyun or Bin hyung much sooner than we anticipated.”

“We’re so close but I have my doubts, how could be suddenly all be getting back together after nine years? It feels a little too good to be true, not to mention weird timing”.

Kai sighed; it was true. After nine years it was unlikely, they would have the luck of finding each other again all at once, if they did, he worried about what that could mean with the day the forest’s barrier would be weakened approaching.

In just a few short months it would have been ten years since that night, and they would have to be prepared for the attack that the chaos witches no doubt had planned, they were a much bigger threat now they were older than they were when they were children.

“There you guys are!”

“Well there aren’t many other places we could have been”

Yeonjun ignored the teasing comment from Beomgyu as he walked over to the two, who were now sitting happily in the garden, they had already finished tending to all the plants for the day and were happy to just relax.

“The village is happy to trade, we’ve been doing it for years and their always happy when we can sell new things we find from further away” the older informed, sitting down with them, tilting his head up as he enjoyed the warmth of the sun.

“That’s good, I assumed they would but one of these days they won’t like something we grow, I’m surprised they haven’t yet to be fair”

Yeonjun agreed while Beomgyu nodded, vaguely understanding but had only been to the village one time with Kai so he wasn’t overly familiar with how it worked yet.

The rest of the day passed by peacefully and soon Kai found himself tucked into bed, despite being the tallest he found himself stuck in the middle as the older two hugged him from either side. He wasn’t going to complain, he felt loved and safe like that, he liked how they switched it up often.

Seconds after he closed his eyes, he felt a shift in the air and knew his consciousness was no longer in the same realm he was moments before.

_“You’ve not being coming as often recently, are you feeling okay?”_

_He waited patiently for an answer, he could feel Taehyun’s presence all aro9nd him, his essence making up the dream itself._

_There was a tired sigh in the air, the sound making him frown. It was worse than he thought, Taehyun was usually quick to deny but not this time, it worried him._

_“Hyun…” he said sadly, a gently breeze combed through his hair, but Kai couldn’t accept the attempt at comfort._

_“I’m not okay”_

_Kai nodded, he knew that much and had even talked about it with Taehyun after he had originally found out, going as far as to scold his friend for not visiting Beomgyu several times like he normally would._

_“I know, how bad is it?”_

_The fireflies seemed to dim at the question, he found his eyes watching them as they moved around while seeming to lack their usually energy. The environment felt like a sad imitation from what he was used to and he began to worry they had far less time than they had anticipated._

_“Everyday the flowers grow duller, I fear I’ve almost drained this beautiful plain of it’s essence. I’ll have to choose wisely when to visit in future.” His sweet voice sounded regretful but Kai understood, these visits were the only communication Taehyun had as far as he could tell, the same aged boy had always refused to tell them much of his surroundings but Kai knew he didn’t survive the same way they did. He lived off magic, and magic alone._

_“Then please put your health first, Yeonjun is so close to you, he feels you more and more every time he travels but can’t seem to reach you. We think their could be a block that’s preventing us but we can’t know for sure.” It wasn’t the best news he could deliver but he hoped it would give the red head something to hold onto._

_“I’m glad to hear it, thank you Kai” the voice replied kindly._

_“I’m going to have to cut it short today but you should go out tomorrow, go further than the village, you might be surprised at what you find and what will find you in return.”_

_The message was as mysterious as usual, but Kai felt a burst of hope run through his chest, could they really be so close._

_Kai nodded to himself, noting as the fireflies seems to brighten, once again back to dancing excitably through the air._

_“Wait a second…Taehyun! You promised you wouldn’t use any more magic than necessary!” Kai scolded, realising the other had to have used his ability to obtain this information._

_A chuckled chimed thorough the air, the sound music to Kai’s ears, it had been a while since he had heard it and it brough a smile to his face, despite his complaints just seconds before._

_“I’m sorry, it’s in my nature as an oracle to tell the future but I’ll try and supress it if I can” Kai nodded before verbally thanking his friend, remembering that he could not see Kai as much as Kai could not see him._

_“Good night Kai, stay safe”_

_The dream faded out and Kai fell into a restful sleep._

The next morning, he was up and shining as bright as the sun. He was quick to wake the older boy’s up by rolling over them and shouting happily. When they were all awake properly Kai let them know of his plans for the day, excitably telling them about Taehyun’s ‘advice’.

Once they had all eaten breakfast, he set off. The village complimented his good spirits as he walked through the town, his cheerful mood gave everyone around an energy boost, their morning feeling brighter than it had.

He apologised as many invited him to chat and sit with them, but he was on a mission and he was going to find whatever it was Taehyun had mention before the day ended.

He walked for hours, enjoying the fields and woodlands around the town while keeping his eyes on the lookout, it would have been easier if Taehyun had been able to tell him what he was supposed to be looking for but understood it was not his choice.

It was when he reached a field of beautiful flowers that he finally realised what he it was that the other wanted him to find.

Hope.

There was a hint of magic in the air around the field, he couldn’t talk to the plants, but he could feel the happiness radiating off of them, a feeling only a green witch could achieve.

There was no sign of the witch and without any feel for the magic itself Kai couldn’t guarantee that this was not just another green witch passing through, it had happened before.

What gave him hope was one particular flower, a small purple and white flower to be exact, it was clear that unlike the other flowers this one had been grown with magic instead of naturally like the rest.

Taehyun’s flower.

That wasn’t quite right, while it was an imitation of the flower that they saw within Taehyun’s dream it didn’t quite seem the same, it wasn’t quite right.

There was no doubt in his mind that Soobin had left the flower there, no other witch could have known about the flora.

A pained whine caught his attention and Kai found himself searching, he could feel the animal close by, following its energy he quickly found the distressed bird.

Nestled in the grass, sat a hummingbird, the sight would have been odd, but Kai was quick to notice the broken wing that lay awkwardly spread out. Cooing gently, he released a small amount of his magic to comfort the bird as he sat down next to it.

“Some people can be so cruel, can’t they? They wish to own rather than respect, but you fought for your freedom, you are very brave” he complimented gently as he raised his hand above the broken wing.

“I’m sorry this may hurt for a second, but you’ll be good as new in no time”.

A soft orange glow covered the injured limb for a few seconds, a painful snap was heard as the bone moved back into place, but the bird did not protest the pain. Once the glow faded, the bird tentatively moved but trusted the boy. Its’ wings began to flap faster as it felt no pain, the bird soon hovering in the air, the sounds of its wings creating a soothing hum.

**_I thank you, kind witch. For your deeds I can tell you I feel a return of love and joy is close in your future, I hope will treasure it well._ **

“I will, I hope you are able to find your family. Stay safe.”

He waved happily as he watched the charming bird fly away, happy that he was able to help. Some things really were fated.

Remembering Taehyun words, Kai sent of a message to all the local animals, asking for their help and giving them a basic description of Soobin, if they found him them would lead him to the forest’s edge.

Sending a silent thanks to Taehyun he headed back towards the forest, he was sure if the older was close by, it wouldn’t be long before he found his way to the barrier. If even one of them could find their way back inside without help it would be Soobin, he had a strong connection to the forest as their magic was similar. 

“How was your day?” Beomgyu asked eagerly as soon as Kai walked into the cabin, he was surprised when he found neither of his partners outside.

“Enlightening” Kai answered simply, they would have to butter him up more if they wanted more information, he liked the attention and he knew that they would give it if he asked but there was no fun without a game every now and then.

“Is that right, and what exactly was it that you found?” Yeonjun asked, draping himself over the younger’s back as he led them to the bedroom to sit on the bed.

“Weird, I’m sure it was something good, but I can’t quite remember. Funny how the mind works, huh” Yeonjun raised his eyebrows but pulled Beomgyu down to smother Kai with the attention he was clearly asking for.

“Your brain decided to work yet?” Beomgyu asked playfully, knocking his finger on the side the brunette’s head.

“Yeah I remembered something important, not sure how I forgot it” two pairs of eager eyes watched him while tightening their hold on him. Kai snuggled further a bit so when he talked the words were slightly muffled against Yeonjun’s shirt.

“Soobin is close by, I found trace of his magic in a field an hour away from here”

The quiet room exploded with noise as Yeonjun and Beomgyu tried to ask questions, most of which Kai couldn’t hear thanks to them talking over one another.

“I have no idea what you’re saying but I’ll take a guess-”

The room went quiet as the older two listened attentively to the youngest.

“-No, I didn’t see him, if I had he would be here right now. I knew it was him because he tried to recreate Taehyun’s flower, it wasn’t quite right but I’m not sure it’s supposed to exist in our dimension so that makes sense.”

The two nodded along, Yeonjun sighing a bit but didn’t look upset, they knew it was a large possibility Kai would find nothing and he returned with more than expected.

“Now Taehyun said that’ll I’ll find something, which I did. He also said something will find me in return meaning if we’re right about it being Soobin, I wasn’t meant to find him, he is supposed to find me” Kai theorised, they couldn’t be sure but it was too big of a coincidence that he’d find a trace of Soobin’s but not the male in question, unless he would be the one to find them.

The air filled with excitement, Beomgyu practically vibrating in his arms at the thought of finding another.

“When did you get so smart?” Yeonjun asked, ruffling his hair before laying on top of him, his right arm wrapping around Beomgyu. Kai squawked indignantly but couldn’t move his arms to sort his hair, not that it mattered when they would likely just go to bed now that they were here.

“Goodnight” tired hums answered Beomgyu’s words and they all fell into peaceful sleeps.

Several days passed uneventfully, Kai felt as the others became restless, they had expected Soobin to have arrived by now but there had been nothing.

Kai sat in his garden by himself, the older boys had left him that morning to go into town, he was sure it was to keep an eye out for the green witch but he didn’t call them on it, he was just as desperate to see him and he’d be angry if he gave them force hope.

It was a little past noon when he felt something weird, the animals close to the east barrier becoming jittery. Standing up he decided to investigate, concerned at the sudden interruption.

By the time he got there he was already informed of the intruder, but the animals seemed calmer, their presence welcoming and excited.

Kai knew long before he met the teary eyes of the lilac haired intruder what was happening. The handsome male opened his mouth as the grateful tears fell from his eyes.

“I’m home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and commenting, it makes me really happy! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, I know the chapter was a little draggy but I wanted a little bit of fluff between them. Soobin will be making his return in the next chapter! They'll likely be a bit more fluff so Soobin can get some love before the story progresses.


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